Maybe, Just Maybe
by onyxwaterfall
Summary: COMPLETE. Buffy's feeling things for a certain special one that she can't shake. When life begins to get tougher she forgets that she isn't the only one with emotions. An emotional struggle soon turns into a war of life. But what matters most to her?
1. Prologue: Maybe, Just Maybe

**Title: **Maybe, Just Maybe (may change)  
**Disclaimer: **Please don't; purely for entertainment, creators of 'Buffy'. None of the characters are mine (so far). However, steal my idea, or 'borrow' without my permission, and I will be the one to sue.  
**Pairings:**None, as of yet, but it's obvious what it's gonna be (B/F if you didn't get it)  
**Note:**Around Season 3, before 'Bad Girls,' and just so you know, I'm rough on my viewings of S3 so if I get things wrong please let me know.  
**Feedback: **Always and forever =D  
**Warnings: **Adult situations. Not yet, but knowing me, there will be =)  
**Rating: **As far as rating goes, it will develop into situations of adult nature and language will probably get bad too, so if you're under 18 (or 16 in the UK) please don't read.

* * *

Every time I look into her eyes its as if she knows exactly what I'm feeling, thinking. This bad-ass chick. It's as if she can see right through me. Except I know that she can't.

I've always wanted to believe that she'd just know what I was feeling, and thinking. I've never found it easy to admit the hard things to people I care about. Especially her. That's why when she looks at me, I like to think that she knows.

The Chosen Two. That's what she calls us. Chosen to kick evil's ass and stake out the bad guy. Hmm. Except I think it's always the aftershock she's waiting for. She kicks butt so she can get that feeling. That 'uh' feeling that she always talks about. That she thinks I get after we get in for a kill. She wonders whether or not it makes that adrenaline pumping through my body trigger that something that will make me want to rip Xander's inside's out…well…not literally.

But I see the look on her face in the after-hours of patrol. She's all about the 'sweating, side-by-side nightly "action"' and it's all about the good 'uhh,' after. And even when she's with me it's implied. I don't know if that's what she thinks I'm all about too. I think she thinks I'm too tightly-wound. Too good to play something like that.

But then there's always the Bronze. The dancing, the drinking…the sweating…more side-by-side action…I wonder if she thinks it's not what I'm about. She thinks I'll say 'no' and catch up with her at training tomorrow.

She doesn't get that I enjoy every single heated moment of it, and how hot it really does get me. She doesn't see it in my eyes. I see it in hers. Because she tells me and I recognise it. That passion, lust…ecstasy…the build up of it and how she lets it all out.

We dance at the Bronze as if there's no one else there. As if it's just us two and the music has consumed our souls and taken us as its play-things. We dance so close that we can't get any closer, and later dismiss it as that 'juiced' feeling from patrol. I can taste her as I inhale, and I can feel her body heat, it makes me even hotter. But it's just dancing.

I wonder so much if Faith knows what it really is, in me, I mean. If she can honestly understand what it is I really feel. Not like after patrolling, that 'juiced' feeling. I wonder if she knows how I feel, at all.

Sure, she knows what I tell her. But what else?

I haven't seen her since training yesterday. And she called me a couple of hours ago asking if I was patrolling tonight and if I wanted to go with her. I said I had a homework assignment. She said blow it off. I said why not.

So now I'm walking along the street, away from my house. My heart is going. Fast. I can't figure out why.

Of course I can.

I get this feeling every time I meet her. I need to admit it already.

She says we'll probably end up bumping into each other whilst getting in a slay. And it'll be the same old 'I'll save your ass and then you'll return the favour a couple of minutes later.'

I'll see the look on her face when she slays that vamp for me, all tough and serious. Then she'll break it up with one of those joke she always makes. It makes me laugh every time.

Except for the part where she talks about how slaying gets her juiced. The bad-ass dark one of us. The sexual fiend who would quite luckily get any guy for lay if she wanted. She could make guys scream for her, and I think she sheer thought of that is what gets her so powerfully 'soaked.' I wonder if she notices how quiet I am every time she talks about this.

Now I'm thinking about what I'm gonna say when I see her. Last time we met was training and god knows how much I love the sparring and the weaponry and the grunting…which I told her I wasn't comfortable with…and how close she always gets to me…and the breathing and the eye contact – 'beg me to go one step further' seems to always be that look in her eyes and god, if she's not thinking that then my mind really is being messed with. What am I thinking?

So yeah, yesterday she managed to literally sweep me off my feet and land me on my back where she sat on top of me and held a 'knife' to my throat. For a moment I saw something in her eyes that told me she wasn't concentrating on the sparring. But I didn't get a chance to say anything before Giles said he was impressed with Faith and that I needed to focus more on the objective – I couldn't even remember what it was. She changed her position too fast for me to realise how in fact it was that she was sitting upon me.

Oh yeah. What to say.

You have no idea how difficult it is trying so hard not to blurt out something when you know how much you really want to. Faith's bugging over how 'juiced' she is, again. Patrolling was a buzz, and she managed to do two at once – vamps…I mean. The look on her face when she – kinda like how she's looking right now. I would imagine right in that point where she's about to climax, where she just lets everything go and the highest intoxication has her. Right where it wants her. And she's looking over at the dance floor.

We're where we usually hang out after patrolling – the Bronze, and she must've only had a couple of drinks so far. I promised myself I would lay off the stuff for tonight. Plus I wasn't feeling so hot about having to make friends with the shiny white ceramic bowl that would swallow the contents of my stomach for the hours after I'd be done here. And also, it tends to be the catalyst in making me blurt out everything that's on my mind.

She taps me lightly on the arm, asking me what's up.

'Nothing, just, thinking, random thoughts, you know me.' I blow it off with a little laugh, and she nods slow. Damn. She's trying to figure me out. I look at her for a second longer than I should have. I'm guessing tearing my eyes away wasn't the right thing to do.

I'm pleading for her to shrug it off, as she always does. And I'm so lucky that this is one of those times when she does. 'Wanna dance?' she asks, looking over at the crowd of moving bodies, inebriated as her, only in a different context. Her body's pulsating from the heat of slaying. They don't know what it's like.

But I do. I share that feeling with her. I feel it now. Only it's not amplified from the intoxication of alcohol. For me, at least.

'Sure, why not,' I say and I don't even have a chance to finish my drink before she pulls me over to the dance floor.

And all at once all those times I'd spent hours thinking about had begun to happen again. She's dancing right up close to me, wanting to get out of me what she'd always wanted to get out of me from every night we'd been here, alone together. After slaying. I wonder if she realised just how 'painfully alone' we were. Not with Will, or Xander. Just us.

I can feel almost every inch of her body pressing fiercely against mine and I'm wishing that it would stop, because it's pushing me to want to do something that I might regret. But I can't ask her to stop. My words are swallowed by my own fear. So I dance, as I always do. I return the favour. And as always, I can feel the body heat. I can smell her scent, I can feel her breath on me…warm…gorgeous, almost like a kiss.

My mind is starting to wonder. I'm thinking what it would be like if she touched me just that little bit more. I would want so much to beg her to go further, but once again my words would not come out – just from sheer anxiety. I'd just let it happen, and it would all be in the eyes, because my words would be shunned from the pressing fear that she wouldn't want to. But I'm still thinking what it would feel like if she slid a hand down the small of my back, down to my thigh, and up under my skirt. And what would happen next. Would it be here?

I'm letting my eyes fall closed, this is too much. I hear that all too familiar

'You alright, B? Seem fuzzy…' she says as she pulls me over to one side. I sit down on the nearest bar stool.

'Just tired.' That's my best excuse and I'm hoping it'll work. I think she's buying it, cos she's frowning a little, as if she's about to ask me if I wanna go home.

'Wanna go back to my place?'

Crap. It's my heart again. I can't speak because it's currently using all the energy I have, and If I speak…I'll faint. So I try to nod. She's taking my hand.

Well if she isn't still juiced, I am.

'Man, I wish you'd seen the look on that vamp's face when he saw me, I swear he was crapping bricks,' she says, laughing as we walk along the deserted street leading up to her motel.

I nod a little, and smile.

For some reason I expected her to ask me if something was wrong, again. I wasn't speaking. Instead she retrieved her keys and stuck them in the lock of her room. I stepped in after her, the scent of it coming my way immediately. Nothing strong, just her.

I'm not looking at anything in particular, although I can sense her moving around me. She takes off her jacket and I hear it hit the comforter, and she slips her boots off and I hear them clonk on the floor as if she's thrown them off her feet. I hear her sitting on the bed. And a sigh.

'Alright. Spill.'

I look up, and make a lame attempt at a smile. 'What?' I put on the chirpy and try to turn off the miserable, gluing myself to the spot I had found the moment I entered the room.

'Oh come on, something's been buggin' your ass all night. You hardly said two words to me and when you did you put on the pout and was all miserable with it.'

I shrug. I can't do this. Not right now. 'It's just…' But my mouth is way out of sync with my mind. 'Me.' I couldn't just say "goodnight," and walk away.

Of course really I wanted to say how much I wanted her right now, and couldn't wait any longer. How I'd wanted her for so long…too long. I wanted her to understand that all those nights we'd patrolled together I wanted to be the one that trembled for her, and I wanted her to tremble for me to. But inside I'm just shutting up and planning on pouting again.

Faith frowns and I can't help but love the crease in her forehead, the sign of seriousness, serious concern arising in her mind, I'm guessing. 'What about you?'

I'm silent. I chew on my lip. Why the hell did I go ahead and say anything? I move gently, listening to my own feet padding on the carpet, and soon join her on the bed. I resort to looking down into my own palms, too scared to look into her eyes.

I give it some time, and she's as patient as I always wanted her to be. Unlike her. 'And Angel.'

I think I can sense her making an 'O' shape with her mouth. It was the only thing I could say, that would stop her thinking that I was thinking about her. She nods a little and turns towards me. 'Well I'm not one for saying the right thing…what's up with him?' she mutters, and I think I've put her in a very uncomfortable position cos she's sitting still. She doesn't usually sit still.

I shrug. 'Don't really wanna talk about it.'

Faith sighs. 'Want me to walk you home?' Bless. Faith trying to play the 'caring' game. I shake my head and rise from the bed.

'No, no…it's cool. I can, walk myself home. But thanks.'

'Well, if you need-'

'Yeah, I…' I trail off. Dammit. I have to mentally kick myself to finish my sentence, although I'm staring straight into her eyes just to check what she's thinking. I can't really pick up anything, right now. 'I know. Thanks.'

I need her.

As the door clicks behind me I let out a loud sigh and clench my fist. Why is it so hard to just be myself around her? It's as if every movement I make needs to be thought out, every word, everything. I can't physically bring myself to walk right now. But something inside me trips and I start to walk. And I walk fast.


	2. Leave It To My Imagination

**Title: **Maybe, Just Maybe  
**Disclaimer: **Please don't sue; purely for entertainment, creators of 'Buffy'. My characters _are_ however mine. So steal my idea, or 'borrow' without my permission, and I will be the one to sue.  
**Pairings:**Buffy/Faith  
**Note:**Around Season 3, before 'Bad Girls,' and just so you know, I'm rough on my viewings of S3 so if I get things wrong please let me know. And also, I'm debating whether or not 'Bad Girls' etc will happen. This however may change.  
**Feedback: **Always and forever =D  
**Warnings: **Adult situations. Not yet, but knowing me, there will be.  
**Rating: **As far as rating goes, it will develop into situations of adult nature and language will probably get bad too, so if you're under 18 (or 16 in the UK) please don't read. I've given it R for bad language, and potential scenes of adult nature.

* * *

Chapter 1

I awoke to the sound of my own heartbeat jamming at my chest. I couldn't believe what had just happened. I clutched my chest, gasping for breath, and I felt my drenched hair clinging to my neck.

It was still dark. I noticed the pale blue light of the moon shining through my blinds. The air around me wasn't warm. Yet I had broken out into a cold sweat.

I laid back down, scrunching my forehead, trying to figure out what had just happened. My breathing was still the only thing between sound and silence and my body was emitting heat of it's own.

- - -

'Came out of nowhere,' I said to Giles as I watched him pace back and forth the library. He opened his mouth as if to speak, though when no words came out, he furrowed his eyebrows and outstretched his index finger instead.

'Hmm. I would listen to your thought train, if only I could hear it,' I said out loud, as I watched him, slightly amused that he seemed to disappear off into a world of his own whenever I talked to him about anything, slayer-related.

'Yes…' He turned to look at me for a moment, removing his glasses from his face, before swivelling on his heel and heading up the red stairs and along a column of shelves with books that I had no intention of digging into…especially at this hour. 'And what did you say it looked like again?' he said, and I thought I heard what sounded like him exhaling onto his glasses.

I squinted. 'Erm…Black, cape…hooded, thing, no face, of what I remember. Not I saw a face…I think…' I made a little face and fidgeted with my fingers a little. 'Oh, then a red hand. And it was gripping my throat, and I couldn't do anything about it. But what the hell does that mean?'

I waited at the counter, imagining that he was drawing down a large book from somewhere.

My attention was immediately drawn to the swinging doors of the library and the figure that strolled through them. I felt my heart going again. Crap.

Faith. I realised quickly that she'd been jogging this morning. Her breathing was heavy and her hair was clinging to the back of her neck, though most of it was drawn up into a ponytail. She was only wearing a pair of joggers and a tee shirt but she looked pretty good in them, and I made it priority to check out the curves of her body as she approached me. 'Hey, B, what happened with jogging this morning? I went to your place but you weren't there, wassup with that?' she said all laid back, through breaths.

I couldn't help but notice the heaving of her chest, so gracious. Even sweated out as she was, she still looked amazing, and the flex of her arm muscles as she reached for her ponytail. She fixed it up into a messy bun as she stood by me, and I don't think I moved my eyes off of her once. 'Hey, B? Are ya there?' she said with a little laugh, and I took my eyes away from her, and cursed inwardly because she noticed me staring.

I cleared my throat and focussed on my hands. 'Yeah…sorry, I had to talk…Giles and I-'

'S'cool. We don't have to train if you've got some assignment thingy, I just thought that you would be-'

'Oh, no, it's not that, I was telling Giles about this-'

'Jordipe,' came Gile's voice from behind the row of books.

I looked towards his voice. 'Er…what?'

Faith tapped my arm and I turned to her. 'I think he said he's got a sore pipe…' she said, under her breath. 'Hey G! You might wanna get that checked out-' she said, piping up.

I smiled, and shook my head. 'He didn't say that,' I said leaning in a little closer to her and hitting her arm gently. I think I must've had bad breath because she didn't smile back.

Giles appeared from behind the shelves presumably ignoring Faith's comment. 'It's not harmful, but I would keep an eye out, just in case.'

Faith chuckled. 'Well if you don't wanna go with my suggestion…' I hit her playfully on the arm and she laughed even louder.

Giles looked up at her from the book. 'What?'

'Er, nothing, she thought you said something different.' I cleared my throat and nodded my head a little, listening to Faith laughing. 'Erm…what else does it say? Oh, and about the hand?'

He hummed slightly and Faith quietened down a little. 'Nothing to worry about. They're messengers of some sort-'

'Yeah I bet I could identify which kind,' Faith said under her breath before chuckling some more. She leant her hand on my shoulder and laughed into it.

Giles frowned a little, wondering what she had just said, and I couldn't help but smile. 'It's the colour of their skin.'

'So why was he strangling me?' Faith burst out laughing and I couldn't help but chuckle either. 'Faith, shut up…'

Giles made a small sound. 'What's so funny?'

Buffy shook her head. 'Nothing, nothing's funny,' I tried to assure him, although I think he was feeling a little nervous because he removed his glasses from his face once again. 'Ignore Faith.'

The morning bell rung and I made a reach for my bag. 'Er, Buffy?' Giles said to me. 'Training after school today…you as well, Faith,' he told us, nodding towards Faith as he spoke to her.

'Sure,' we both said at once, though my voice sounded naturally chipper than hers, and hers naturally huskier than mine.

I followed Faith out of the library, my mind back to what she looked like in the clothes she was wearing. Tee shirt, joggers…I liked the way her hips moved in those things. She always walked with confidence and as if she knew where she was going. In actual fact I don't think she did, though I managed to follow her all the way out of school without remembering once that I had homeroom.

It was only when she turned and reached a hand out to my shoulder to stop me, and I looked her in the eye. 'You know, Red won't be too happy about you cuttin' classes to be with me.'

I tried to resist the urge to say, "What I do with my love life has nothing to do with her," although before I could comprehend my mouth spilled, but I was overly glad that it had come out as a quip, rather than a serious comment.

I couldn't help but smirk when I saw the corner of her mouth tug up into a smile to expose her teeth. 'So what are you sayin', B? Ready to kick, it; you an' me, rough and tumblin' it back at my place, all kinks and no vanilla?'

I wish I hadn't froze and looked as 'deer caught in headlights' as I did because it made her smile drop and she looked awkward. 'Oh yeah. The "uncomfortable" card. Shoulda known what with the, grunting,' she began, looking down into the palms of her hands. A troubled look came over her face and I punched her on the arm lightly.

'Hey,' I said, alerting her to myself, just one more time. She looked up and immediately I could tell she was disappointed. In what, was what I was wondering. Why should it bother her what I had just done? 'I'm not uncomfortable, just…' I made funny face and a little hand gesture to go with it.

Great. What a dumbass I am. She looked at me as if to say, "Yeah, right. Little blonde straight Slayer couldn't get any straighter." I continued. 'Training tonight, then patrol?' I said, as if asking. 'I kinda need to check around, see if this hood thingy is for real.'

She searched my face for a moment before speaking, and I felt a little strange now, anxious of what she would say to me. For a moment there I thought I'd seen something in her eyes that didn't exist in her. The desire for security; something safe. It seemed as if she was asking for it as she looked into my hazel eyes, her own chocolate ones wide and gleaming, as they naturally did. Faith's natural instinct was to go for what she thought she should go for; it was all about trusting your instincts with her. But just then I thought she hesitated in saying something to me.

Perhaps I wasn't the only one thinking this way.

'Sure,' she said, her gaze moving away from mine, and continued to search from side to side for something to focus on. That nervous thing she does. She's nervous. She made a little motion with her hands as she spoke. 'You should…probly get in there before Red gets ballsy with you for being late.'

I furrowed my eyebrows, feeling apprehensive about the conversation we'd just had. I offered a gentle nod, and no more, though I tried to catch her gaze and noticed all too quickly how she avoided me. I took a step back away from her, frowning still at what had just happened. 'Okay…sure,' I began, sucking in a breath before turning and walking. Something inside me made me want to turn back and run to her and slam my lips against hers.

Whoa. Back up. I just said that?

I turned back to face her, drawing in a harsh breath as I did, though sighed it out slow as I saw her walking away from me. Something about the way she walked made me think even further that something about what I'd just said had bothered her. I saw her kick a rock further in front of her, then walk up to it, kick it again. She slid her hands into her pockets and her head hung.

- - -

I let out a pitched moan as my back hit the ground, although quickly got back on my feet, before landing a punch in Faith's stomach then hitting her in the chin with both hands, sending her stumbling backwards, her hair moving a fraction of a second behind her. She looked as heated as I felt. She grunted, having been knocked slightly off balance, but she was quick to tackle me back, and what a fine tackle it was. She threw a kick that swooped me off my feet and landed me right beneath her, though I shoved my legs out, knocking her off her feet as well, and she landed on her ass. 'Woah, B, gotta gimme a chance here,' she said between shallow breaths.

I chuckled a little, shuffling back a bit. 'Well, when I was gonna ask you the same thing you kicked me in the back and sent me head first through the air. Was a near blackout experience, I think,' I said, as I watched her scramble to her feet. She reached a hand out to me, and I looked at it, thinking. I decided to use it to get her back, and tugged on it, knowing she would be going straight over my head and right back onto the floor. I jumped up, then got on her, held her arms down. 'Oh, we're not over yet.'

She scoffed and I chuckled a little, though that faded fast when I gazed into her eyes and surprisingly saw her gazing back. Was she watching me laugh?

'What?' I uttered softly, becoming slightly moved by her current expression.

She smiled softly and licked over her lips. 'Your smile is adorable.' She looked as if she had begun to search my eyes once again for something that I had no comprehension of. That comment sent me into a daydream. I'd never really been this close to her before, with just in the room, this position of me sitting a top her stomach being practiced between us. But when looked at her gorgeously naturally pouted lips, then focussed on those dark chocolate swirls I felt a sensuous shiver travel the length of my spine.

Finally after what seemed like a lifetime, I muttered, 'What?' a gentle smile coming to my lips. It wasn't until I snapped out of my actual daydream that I realised she was yelling at me.

'I said I'm getting cramp!!! Get up!!!' I frowned and back off her, standing as I did. She scoffed again as she got up herself, and I let out a silent sigh, afraid I had done something that she may be able to use against me in the future.

She crossed the deserted library to the counter where she grabbed a half drunken bottle of water, and as she unscrewed the cap, as she sucked off the round plastic hole, as she swallowed, I could not release my eyes from her, the way her muscles moved with her; with that same grace as a dancer and a fighter all at the same time. The way her chest rose and fell with each breath, and how it heaved when she was deprived of oxygen.

Her facial expression remained content, even as she looked at me across the room. I found myself sitting on one of the tables with my legs crossed. 'Call it a day?' she said to me after swallowing her last mouthful of water.

I thought for a second. 'Faith, I need to ask you something.' I didn't know where that came from. I didn't even realise I wanted to ask her something.

She replaced the blue bottle on the countertop and approached me, briefly wiping her hand over her mouth, then her forehead as she watched me with a concerned expression. 'What?' I heard, rather than saw her say. She perched on the table across from mine, that same expression lingering at her face.

I drew in a deep breath, furrowing my eyebrows as I did. 'Er…well…the thing is…I…'

'B, at this rate that hood demon thing is gonna have gutted, grilled and gobbled every single human being by the time you finish your sentence.,' she said quickly, and I watched her lips as she said it.

I nodded. 'Right.' I hopped off the table and headed for my things.

I heard her hop of her table too. 'No, B, I just meant-'

'Yeah, I know.' I shrugged my shoulders and slung my bag over my shoulder. 'S'not important anyways.'

Listening to the scuff of her shoes on the ground I wished I had talked faster. I had my back towards her but I could tell she was coming towards me and wasn't going to let me leave until I said everything. If just to have the courage to, then I wouldn't be having this problem.

I wonder what I would've said if I hadn't moved.

'Alright.' She picked up her bottle of water and the keys beside them and looked over at me. 'Fancy something to eat?'

I shook my head indolently. 'I'm not hungry,' I started.

She grabbed my arm and began leading me towards the double doors marked exit. 'Well I am.'

- - -

She walked along, a bag of greasy chips covered in vinegar wrapped in a large piece of white paper in one hand, and a chip in the other hand, which was half in her mouth. 'No wonder you're so tiny,' she mused, and I raised an eyebrow to her, looking at her for a moment. 'Well you don't eat anything.'

'Yeah, actually I do,' I told her, my voice insult-ridden. I sucked in a breath and looked ahead of me, at the long street in front of us. 'I ate a blueberry muffin today.' I nodded my head a little and smiled a little, as if proud of myself.

Faith chuckled through the mouthful of chips. 'Please. Let me book you in for a liposuction session, quick; before you burst,' she said, reaching for even more chips.

My jaw dropped and I looked at her, then the chips. 'Well I just wasn't hungry,' I piped up, even more offended by her comments of my size. I quietened a little. 'Just had things on my mind, s'all.'

'Uh huh,' she pushed, through that same mouth of chewed chips.

I glanced sideways at her, not intending in the slightest to continue.

'So what was that back in the library, you wanted to say something?'

'Yeah right before your stomach started creating an earthquake,' I muttered and she hit me on the arm. 'Well it did.'

'Well I didn't get to have a blueberry muffin unlike some.'

I glanced at her again, narrowing my eyes at her. 'Shut up, it just so happens that I had an extra-large one.'

'Hmm.'

We strolled for a moment and I listened to the chewing noise she made with her chips, coupled with the scuff of our shoes on the ground and the shuffling of my jeans, until she piped up. 'So what was that back in the library?'

I sighed and reached a hand up to run my fingers back through my hair. 'Nothing, don't worry.'

'Didn't look like nothin',' she began, dragging out every word.

'Well appearances can be deceiving.'

'Yeah well.'

'Yeah well, what?' I repeated, deliberately trying to turn things around.

She munched for a second. 'Yeah well nothing.'

We walked in silence some more. I glanced sideways at her again, and saw her lick over her lips, still eating out of that greasy chip bag that contained enough chips to feed the city twice over. 'Ever think about who will be next?'

Faith made a noise as if to ask, 'What?' because her mouth was too full.

'The next one. The next Slayer.'

She stopped chewing, walking, moving, looked at me as if to say, "Why, why would you mention that?" and I stopped a little in front of her, and looked back. It seemed as if she disposed of the question and resumed chewing, looking at her chips, and walking.

'Well don't you?'

'Did you ever wonder about me?'

I felt my heart start up again. All the time. 'Yeah.'

She swallowed. 'Really? Did I live up to your expectations?' she said as if excited that I had said "yes" in response to her question.

I nodded. 'And a bag of chips…' I smiled as I looked at her, and she laughed a little.

'Want one?' she offered holding the bag out to me and I pushed it back towards her. 'You're gonna break.'

'No I'm not.'

'Yeah, you will.'

I scoffed. 'No, I won't, Faith. I eat.' I paused a moment. 'Just not excessively.'

'Or at all,' she mumbled through a mouthful of chips.

'Whatever.'

'So this thing?'

'Would you stop bringing it up, I said it was nothing,' I snapped (gently).

'Geez, okay, sorry, just you looked as if you were about to spill your guts for fucking my boyfriend or something,' she replied.

'Faith!' I said and frowned.

She shrugged. 'Fiiine, god I'm sorry.' She screwed up her chips and I silently thanked god they were finished. I didn't notice her shrug her shoulders and make an irresolute facial expression. 'Girlfriend,' she muttered as she turned away from me to chuck her chips in the trashcan.

I think I got whiplash turning my head. 'What'd you just say?' I said, and I swear to God no one ever had a voice that high-pitched in the history of man…speaking.

She shook her head and scrunched her face a little. 'Absolutely nothin'.'

I sighed upon looking back ahead of me. Perhaps I just imagined she said that. Although I noticed a cheeky smile on her face as we walked, and her eyes possessed some sneaky look that gave me the impression I had heard something. She strutted, and sucked on every finger she'd used to eat her chips with, one by one, deliberately slowly. Enticingly.

- - -

Faith slammed the broken wood into the guy's chest and then watched as he became a tiny pile of dust. She grunted as she got up off of the floor and wiped herself off, before chucking the wood aside. She looked across the fallen apart warehouse to see a couple of vampires attacking me, and as I landed a mid kick in the vamp's stomach, he let out a cry and flew in the direction of Faith. I yelled out her name to her and I'm glad she was watching where she was going because otherwise he would have gone straight into her. Too bad I forgot the other vamp was behind me and he grabbed my throat and I shrieked. I retrieved a stake from the front pocket of my jeans and twisted his arm over and round his back before shoving the stake into his chest. And poof.

I threw the stake in Faith's direction upon her calling for it, and she caught it, swung it round and slammed it into the vamp before kicking him backwards, and he was dust. She let a long hard moan as she leant down and grasped her thighs in her hands as if she had been running and needed to stop to catch her breath.

I furrowed my eyebrows as I stepped over the dust and began to approach her. 'You okay?' I said, noticing the echo in the warehouse as I spoke. We had stumbled across this place accidentally. I never realised it was there and neither had she. But when we got in, it was a world of vampires seeming to be congregating. We decided to use the element of surprise and jump them from behind, poof one of them then appear, and watch their faces as they watched the vamp disintegrate to reveal their worst enemy. We must have fought ten of them, give or take. I know that at the end I was beat.

She nodded as she straightened out, her left out hair flinging itself back over her head, and the brown curls bounced around her naked neck. She was only wearing a cami top and a pair of tight jeans. I hadn't bothered to change after training- I was still in my jeans and 'Hawaiian Beach' yellow tee. Even so, she made her outfit look a million times better, all because she wore it. I could see her shoulders and chest glistening, and I watched on as she raised a hand to her forehead and left it there for a moment, all the while her eyelids shut and her voice box humming a continuous note.

'Sure?' I said, my own breath a little puffed out. I stopped pretty close to her, far enough to be able to reach out and grab her shoulder, and that I did. She opened her eyes to me as if surprised that I was there and putting a hand on her shoulder. 'Hey,' I began, sure that my expression was portrayed anxiety.

Her eyes were wide open and I think watering slightly, and she exhaled heavily through her mouth before inhaling quickly and exhaling quickly, this time through her nose. She smiled a moment. 'Yeah. Just, erm…' she paused and winced a moment. 'He stepped on my bad foot.' She shrugged and looked at me, I think, expecting me to laugh at her.

I nodded. 'Ouch.'

We began walking, although she stumbled a little and then stopped, taking her bad foot off the ground. She bent down a moment to hold it, before uttering a small, 'Fuck,' under her breath. She grimaced as she held the injured foot, her brows deeply furrowed in her forehead and her eyes clenched shut. I think I saw her clenching her jaw because her jaw bone was protruding slightly.

I immediately moved to her side and wrapped her arm around my neck. 'Come on, you can lean on me,' I said through an exhaled breath.

'No, I'll be fine, really,' she insisted and moved her hand away.

I gave her a "fine" look and lifted my palms to her. 'If you wanna walk on it that's just fine-'

'I'm not about to start hopping back to my place, looking like an idiot, I can look after myself.'

I raised my eyebrows, looking down at her foot. 'Alright,' I said beneath my breath.

She sighed and scoffed, mentally kicking herself I think. 'Urgh. I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that.'

'It's okay.' I drew in a breath, deliberately avoiding eye contact with her. 'So I guess I'll go home, then.'

Faith nodded a little, before stepping on her bad foot and letting out a bellowing cry. 'Holy shit!' she picked up her foot and started hopping, making a high-pitched noise in her throat as her eyes widened and she grabbed her foot. I sighed and she looked up at me. 'I'm good. Just gonna…hobble on down back to m'place…yeah…' she told me before limping away.

I stayed back a little, contemplating whether or not to say what I wanted to say. 'Unless…you wanna come back to my place?'

She stopped and looked back at me over her shoulder, a raised eyebrow staring me in the face.

'Well, you can't exactly walk on that thing, I could…fix it for you…' Faith chuckled a little and I swallowed, nervous.

'I'll live,' she assured me and continued limping.

I sighed and shook my head. 'C'mon, you look ridiculous.'

'Not as ridiculous as I would if I was hopping.' I made a tutting sound and rolled my eyes before grabbing her arm.

'Since when did you care what people thought of you?'

- - -

I focussed on releasing the tension as I massaged slow circles into her foot. We both sat upon my bed, me shuffled down to the end and her in the centre, her arms behind her, propping her up. Her eyes were focussed on her foot also and I begged my senses to concentrate solely on the foot and not the fact that Faith was on my bed.

I stretched the white material gradually around her foot, being careful not to coax her out of her state. Her eyes had closed, and I think she was listening to the strumming guitar on my CD. I couldn't help but move my eyes up along the curves and contours of her body, just for me to memorise. To be able to close my eyes and know where they were. Her facial expression told me that she was at peace, and that I was doing something right. All the while I was wrapping the material around her feet, although my wrist accidentally knocked against her foot and she cried out. I tore my gaze from her and looked down at her foot. 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry…' I started, my voice pleading.

She shook her head. 'It's alright. It's just…it fuckin' hurts, man.' She brought a hand to her temples and began massaging them, then replaced her hand in the previous spot, her eyes falling closed again. 'Stupid vampire.'

I think I gave the impression I was worried because I knew my eyebrows were furrowed but I guess my eyes were somehow too, because when she opened hers and looked at me, she uttered a gentle, 'Hey.'

I looked up, alerted by her sudden change of tone. Her voice was breathy, and gentle. 'Don't worry, it'll be okay.'

I swallowed and let out a breathy laugh. 'I don't wanna put you in anymore pain than you have to be.'

She smiled and nodded her head. 'That's nice.'

The corner of my mouthed tugged up a moment as our gaze between each other was kept for just a moment longer, then I looked down, and continued wrapping up her foot.

I could feel her eyes burning in to me, all the while I was focussing on her foot, inwardly daring myself to look up and tell her how gorgeous she was. I didn't dare. But I could feel her gaze on me, and when she looked away, I felt as if I was being deprived of oxygen. I needed that gaze back. I wanted her to look at me.

I tucked in the bandage at the edge and put her foot down on one of my cushions. 'All done.' I used that chipper tone to let her know I was alright, but when she opened her eyes to me, I couldn't read her expression.

'You didn't have to, B-'

'I-I wanted to. Cus…otherwise you'd still be…hopping.' I took a breath. 'Imagine trying to stake a vampire on one foot. You'd be all-'

'Please…let's not…' she said as if to tell me I was waffling. Something I had adopted from Willow, I was sure.

I nodded and offered a careful smile. 'Do you want ice, or something?'

She shook her head.

'I can get you painkillers, or-'

'B, it's alright, really. It'll be better by tomorrow, I'm sure of it.'

She pulled herself into a better sitting position and reached out to me. I looked back over my shoulder, a little surprised at her touch, and that continued further when she let her hand fall to mine, and then tugged on it. I let my lips apart, still wondering why the hand was there. It was only when she cocked her head towards the top of my bed and I began to move I realised what was going on in her mind.

I was close enough to her to feel her breath on me, and I could see her pupils before me, beginning to dilate. She leant in towards me and I felt a sudden rush of nervousness in my stomach. It tightened, twisted and I thought I would panic. Though as soon as her lips hit mine, all of that melted away, and all that was left was the passion, that began to arise between us, as I reached my hands up to her shoulders at first, then up her neck, up to her cheeks-

'Buffy?' she said, forcefully, and I think she had said it many times before because when I looked at her she was frowning.

I frowned and looked around for a moment, away from her, at the surroundings in my room as if I had never seen them before. 'Ur, yeah?' I said, looking back at her.

'Do you have any food, I'm starved…'

I watched her for a moment, offering a timid smile, before nodding and getting up. 'I'll get snacks.'

I made my way out of my room as fast as I could, closing the door behind me. I leant against it a moment, trying to figure out what the hell had just happened. Had I just been hallucinating?


	3. Getting Down, Getting Nasty, Getting Nau...

**Title: **Maybe, Just Maybe  
**Disclaimer: **Please don't; purely for entertainment, creators of 'Buffy'. Characters I created are mine. So steal my idea, or 'borrow' without my permission, and I will be the one to sue.  
**Pairings:**Buffy/Faith  
**Note:**Around Season 3, before 'Bad Girls,' and just so you know, I'm rough on my viewings of S3 so if I get things wrong please let me know. I know I've said this before, but I'm not sure if 'Bad Girls' will eventually happen. Not sure yet. We'll see.  
**Feedback: **Always and forever =D  
**Warnings: **Potential adult situations between two consenting females. So if you do not agree, DON'T READ. You've been warned. Complain, and I will not be pleased  
**Rating: **R for potential adult scenes and language.

* * *

Chapter 2

I tried not to think about regurgitating the contents of my stomach as I dizzily made my way to the dance floor with a beer in one hand and Faith's hand in the other. I began swaying my hips to the heavy bass of the thumping music, travelling down every single nerve I possessed in my body. The music had me, the alcohol had me even more. But most of all, Faith had me, and that was the biggest intoxication of all.

I tipped my head back as I pressed the cool bottle to my lips and felt the liquid travel down onto my tongue, down my throat, down my neck. As cool as it was, it added to the intense inebriation I was feeling at that moment in time. My head had decided that summersaults were the way to go and the strobe lights decided that faster was indeed better.

I set the bottle down on the side and turned back to Faith, who seemed as inebriated as I did. I closed my eyes and continued moving to the music, dirty dancing into the arms of Faith, and her body. Once again I was in a mini skirt and knee high boots, with a simple cami top. Faith was wearing a black and purple leather bustier with black leather pants and her body glistened at the heat and the humidity in the club. I took her hips in my hands, and she turned her back to me and started dancing into my lap, taking me further and further down, grinding into my every move. And I wanted so much to run my hands along every curve of her body, along the flat of her stomach, along every muscle, every single inch of flesh. I could see the hair clinging to the back of her neck and I wanted to pull it back off her neck and replace it with kisses. I couldn't take her dancing like this into me anymore. She had no idea what she was doing to me. Give it a couple and I would climax right there on the spot. She turned to face me, her lips so close to mine she was literally breathing into my mouth. The speed at which she'd turned around caused her hair to cling to her neck and face even more than it did before. She flashed a shit-eating grin at me, and I flashed one straight back. She took both my hands in hers and moved back a little from me. 'Havin' a good time?' she asked me as we swayed rhythmically to the music.

I nodded. 'I haven't felt this good in ages,' I told her as she danced. She moved in close to me, placing a leg in between mine, and I placed a leg in between hers, and we continued our rhythmic roll against each other as before, only now she was beginning to grind into my soft spot, and I could feel every nerve in my body beginning to tingle, but more than central she had awakened the most sensuous nerve in my body and as she wrapped arms around my neck, I wrapped my arms around her waist, and looked down at how close we were. 'You really hot right now?' she said straight into my ear, her lips touching it ever so slightly and I let a moan pass my lips. She pulled back and smiled.

'Burning…up…' I said, and Faith chuckled and pulled me away from the dance floor.

Somehow, without me knowing it, we made it into the bathroom, and she was pressing one of my hands to her bare chest, right above her almost bare breasts. 'Feel how fuckin' hot I am right now,' she said before heading for the sink and shoving the cold water tap right up. I stood back a moment, shocked at what she had just done with my hand, and then joined her side. She picked up a handful of water and splashed it down her top, and shrieked before looking at me in the mirror and pressing the cold water tap right down again. She looked into the sink then turned her head round and drenched her hair in the water, and I simply stood back and watched as she drenched herself in this ice cold water. Once done, she looked in the mirror and ran her fingers back through her shoulder length hair, that now clung to her neck with it's every drop of water aiding it.

'Aw, what the hell,' I said, before doing the same, only just with my hair. I figured it would drip down onto me anyway and cool me down. She laughed as I threw my head back and my hair followed, and my lip hung as I looked up at myself in the mirror.

'Wow,' she said, chuckling as she did. 'That was hot,' she said quickly, before moving her fingers through my hair and then kissing me briefly on the forehead. 'C'mon.' She grabbed my hand and before I knew it we were back out in the centre of the dance floor, and this time she was dipping it low on me, letting me see every bit of flesh down her top, watching every inch of skin as she went down, and as she came back up, she looked into my eyes, and all I could see was lust.

I can't have been that inebriated because I remember exactly what her eyes were telling me. Lust. She was definitely hungry and horny. As if her daily dosage of patrolling had had her needing a lay right now, so much to the point where she was about to get off on me.

I wish.

I guessed as much.

I woke up next to the toilet bowl in her motel room, and her showering a few metres away from me. I frowned and groaned and immediately heaved, and watched the pretty mixture of colours ejecting themselves into the ceramic bowl. I moaned and sat back against the wall after having pulled the flush on the toilet. 'I feel like shit,' I said, following the squeaking of the taps turning to "off." Faith pulled down a towel from the top of the shower and wrapped herself in it, then stepped out, and flashed a smile at me.

'I figured.'

I sighed and rose from the cold shiny tiled floor. 'You feel it too?'

She shook her head as she walked through to the bedroom. 'I didn't drink so much.'

I turned the sink tap to "on" and washed my mouth and face off, and then looked up at myself. I didn't look _that_ bad. Just...bad enough.

'Don't wanna be late for school, B,' Faith said to me from the other room, as if making fun of the fact that I was still IN high school. I stuck my middle finger out of the door and heard a laugh following that. 'Aw…hangover not doin' ya much good, girlfriend?'

The "girlfriend" remark. I think that was the one word of Faith Vocabulary that she thought I wasn't uncomfortable with. I was. But at the same time, I liked the sound of it. Especially seeing as it was directed at me.

'Hurry along now, don't wanna be late, do you?' she continued and I heard her slamming a draw shut.

'Fuck off,' I said to her before heaving again and bending down to the toilet. 'I feel like fucking shit…' I moaned after having spilled the contents of my stomach into the toilet for the second time this morning.

'Shouldn't drink so much, eh,' she said as she re-entered the bathroom. I washed out my mouth again and then perched on the toilet seat lid, watching her putting on some lipstick and mascara.

'You look fucking great.'

She smiled into the mirror. 'I don't drink so much.'

'You drunk more than me.'

Faith hummed and smiled briefly as she pressed her lips together and then walked back out into the bedroom.

I realised what she meant when she made that humming sound. She'd called me a lightweight before, but I didn't think she meant it. I'm sure it took as many drinks as it did for her to get drunk as it did for me. 'Cept I was just having a bad night. S'all.

'I'm not going in,' I decided as I dragged my feet along the bathroom floor, then the bedroom floor, and I slumped down back onto the bed.

She cooed as she watched me move back to the bed, if that's where I had been before. I couldn't remember anymore.

- - -

'Assonance…a device in which the vowel sounds are repeated. Keats particularly takes advantage of synaethesia…'

I think my head was so heavy that it made a dent in the desk. I lay with my head sideways on the table, my arms hanging down off the desk. Sleep was the only appealing treat I wanted right now.

'Buffy?' came a gentle voice from beside me.

I sat up a moment, opening only one eye as not to let sunlight affect me.

'Are you hungover?' Willow asked gently, whispering as not to draw attention to the fact that she was talking.

I frowned and plonked my head back down on the table. 'Tired. Sleep depravation.'

'Were you at the Bronze last night? With Faith?' she asked again, nudging me on the head lightly.

I sat up once again and looked at her with a blank expression. 'With all due respect, Will, I have a headache. And if you touch my head again more than likely it's gonna spontaneously combust, either that or haemorrhage, I'm not sure which one's more pleasant. So please…' I put my head back on the table and shut my eyes.

Will frowned and leant her chin in her hand, and fiddled with a pencil in the other. 'Was it fun?'

I sighed. 'Great.' I would've said she should join us sometime but I kinda liked it being just me and Faith. I could let myself go almost completely when dancing with Faith and I wasn't sure Will would agree with that.

'It's just…I saw ya there and you looked kind of…drunk,' she whispered.

I mumbled something, I can't remember what, it probably didn't even mean anything.

'Did you go patrolling last night too?'

I would've nodded but my head was the wrong way round.

'Buffy?' Willow asked gently, and I sat up, huffing at the same time, looking at her as if I had seriously just had my head under a pillow for the last one hundred years.

'Yeah, I did. I patrolled. I kicked ass. I drunk, I danced, and I was hot!!!' I smiled briefly at her, my eyes half open, and then let my head back on the desk. 'And Faith was hot too.'

That's when I swear Willow had burned her eyes into me.

'You guys looked like you were really getting into it last night,' she continued. I mumbled once more.

'I'm telling Xander.'

I mumbled, 'Telling Xander what?'

She hummed a little. 'Oh, just that you guys got all touchy feely and stripped in the middle of the club, danced practically up against each other and made out in front of everyone whilst having buckets of water tipped over you.' She paused. 'Oh, then…you went and threw up, I'm guessing as a result of the drinking.'

By the end of that speech I had lifted my head back up and was now looking at her with eyes as if to say, "I so did not."

She nodded with wide eyes. 'I didn't.'

Willow made a funny little busted face. 'Not the stripping part, no.'

I frowned. 'Or the making out part.'

She chuckled. 'So, you did all the other stuff, then?' for some reason she seemed pretty excited.

I paused. Busted. 'He's not gonna let it go if you tell him.'

'That's the point.'

I frowned. 'Okay, Will. I woke up this morning to a toilet full of throw up, _which_ by the way was mine. I feel as if my head is about to blow up and my stomach about to jump out of my throat and I don't think I slept at all last night. Why are you pestering me on the worst morning of my young teenage life?'

She smiled. 'I wanna know what it was like.'

I looked at Willow a second, furrowing my eyebrows, wondering what could possibly interest her. Did she have a crush on Faith?

- - -

'I know you must feel all wonderful already with the Slayer gig thing, but what's it feel like having all those eyes pointing at you?' she asked as I sat in a cold, hard wooden chair and my stomach rumbled.

'Well, I don't know. It's just dancing. Having fun, letting go, you know?'

She smiled and pulled her legs up onto the desk she was sitting on. 'Yeah, but when you're all dancing and stuff, how do you even do all that?'

I shrugged. 'I dunno.'

'I wanna do it,' she said. Bless her, she was adorable. So innocent, I don't know what interested her when it came to Faith and I. Dancing. In a club.

'Will,it's-'

'Hey, bitches, what's up?' came a husky voice from the other end of the library. Faith. I envied her for being so good at cleaning up the day after a night out. 'Hey, Little Miss Lightweight,' she said, perching next to me, chewing on a stick of gum. She flashed a grin across at Will and licked over her lips fast.

I scoffed quietly as I rolled my eyes, and regretted doing it straight after. 'Stop calling me that.'

Faith sat back in her seat and put her feet up on the table. 'Guess who got all kinks, naughty and horny last night?'

'I was there,' she replied, running her fingers along the gold stand of the table lamp.

Faith sat up slightly. 'Really?' she said, her voice employing an intrigued tone.

She nodded. 'Minus the drinks, the kinks and the hungry and horny attitude.'

'You forgot naughty,' I said quickly before leaning my head in my hand.

Faith laughed and Willow giggled as Giles stepped in and the sound of his heels clicking on the floor could be heard from the other end of the library. 'Oh, hello,' he said, briefly looking up from the book he was reading.

'Did you hear-'

'No,' I interrupted Will quickly, my eyes closed, my head still in my hands. Faith smiled a little.

'Hear what?' Giles said, seeming more interested in his book than the three girls.

'Nothing,' I told him quickly.

He approached us and sat down in the empty chair. 'Buffy, how was patrolling last night?'

Faith smirked and nudged me a little and I sat up a little. 'Oh. Erm. The usual. Vamps. Grr, argh. Stake, Poof. Done about five or so of them.'

'Nothing came up about the Jordipe?' he asked, looking directly at me. Since Faith wasn't talking, she decided to play with the bracelet on my hand instead.

I shook my head. 'Should there have been?'

Giles sucked in a breath and looked down at his small brown book. 'Well I've been reading more about…this hooded messenger and it seems I may have misjudged its powers.'

'Oh?' I asked, not particularly interested in it at all. I watched Faith playing with my bracelet, then glanced at Willow, who was grinning at us. I frowned momentarily at her everlasting excitement for us. I mean me. I mean Faith. God, I don't know what I mean.

Giles hummed a yes. 'It seems that he carries just a bit more than information…'

He slid the book onto the table and it landed in front of Willow, who picked it up and began reading. 'Jordipe. The Hooded Being. Sometimes identified as the "red messenger" sent to slayers to deliver important messages. However, can be anything from a word of note to watch out for the next enemy or a message of apo…' Willow looked up at Giles, frowning slightly.

'Finish that word,' I dared her, through clenched teeth.

She sighed. 'I think you know what I was gonna say.' She looked up at Giles. 'What does it mean?'

Giles sighed. 'Well Buffy, you said that in your dream it reached out and grabbed your throat, yes?'

I nodded.

'Read on, Willow,' Giles instructed and she did so.

'De-de-de…'she muttered to herself as she read through irrelevant information. 'Oh. The Jordipe can also be the cause of apocalypse, through being able to predict the future, he has the power to manipulate the future, thus changing it for the benefit of himself. The Jordipe is not necessarily harmful, unless if his powers are misused to manipulate time and events which- why didn't you ever tell me you had this dream?' Willow asked, stopping mid-sentence.

Faith scoffed and sat back in her chair once more.

I was a little surprised at how she managed to change the subject in a sheer couple of words. I shrugged. 'I-I only told Giles, and…Faith, I only knew about it since a couple of days ago.'

She nodded a little. 'So when were you gonna tell me about it?'

'Well I didn't think I'd need to. I didn't realise that they were some sort of apocalypse catalyst…Giles, what should we do?'

'I'm not sure,' he pondered, whilst cleaning his glasses.

Faith's eyes widened and then she began laughing. I frowned and glanced at Will, then at Giles, who possessed the identical expression of confusion. 'Well I guess Faith's got her answer all worked out…laugh…it off…' I said, frowning a little. She continued, bending over in laughter.

She sat back a few moments later. 'I get it now…' she said through laughs.

I shook my head a little, looking at her. 'Get what?'

Her laughing began to die down and she cleared her throat. 'Remember I though Giles had a little problem with his-'

I stopped her. 'Yeah, okay, I guess that's enough now, Faithy,' I said, placing a hand on her arm. I looked at Giles and smiled a little. 'Sore pipe.' He nodded, with his mouth ajar, then frowned in mid way of replacing his glasses on his face.

Willow pushed the book back to Giles. 'So what about this?'

I shrugged. 'How do you kill it?'

He shook his head. 'It's not necessarily that we need to kill it. The Jordipe can be of extreme use to the Slayer and can carry certain messages that cannot be received from any other people.'

'So how come I never got this dream?'

'Er, the Jordipe can only visit one Slayer at a time, meaning that until you die, Buffy, it cannot visit you, Faith. Or any other potential slayer.'

I sighed out a long breath. 'Oh.'

'Which means you need to take note of your dreams from now on. He might have useful information. On the other hand…he could just be warning us of a potential apocalypse…'

'Damn right, there's going to be an apocalypse if someone doesn't find me a Keats text,' Cordelia said as she approached us. Giles got up and hurried up the stairs, muttering something to himself as he went. If I didn't think any better of him I would think he was saying something like "selfish bitch" or "slutty freak" or…

'Buffy I heard you got all down and dirty last night at the Bronze is that true?' she continued, stepping in closer to us.

I glanced at Will, then at Faith who… 'Yeah, she was with me, all the way, down dirty, kinks and no vanilla, nasty and naughty all night long…' Faith said, keeping her eyes on Cordelia the entire time, who had frowned and taken a step back.

'Oh…right.' Giles registered the book then handed it to Cordelia whose eyes had been darted back and forth myself and Faith as if they were on a sideways yoyo. 'I guess I'll see you, later…' She left without uttering another preppy word.

'What do you girls get up to?' Will pondered and I swear if her smile grew anymore it'd be a complete circle on her face. 'All kinks and no vanilla? All nasty and naughty, d-does this happen, all the time? Like after slayage, cos Buffy's told me how you get after, after slayage and it seems like-'

'Alright, next time you can answer the question,' Faith said quietly into my ear and then smiled and leant her forehead on my cheek, chuckling quietly.

'Will, I just went crazy last night. So did Faith-'

'Nah, she's just a lightweight.'

Willow smiled softly. 'What's that?'

Faith smiled and then shook her head a little. 'I think we're gonna have to get Red drunk sometime, B.'

'While we focus on the situation at hand here I think we should eliminate chat of…after…partying and de-slayage, whilst, we still can. Erm. Buffy,' Giles began and I watched him, ready to deliver a speech to me. 'Take note of your dreams from now on. Anything and everything. I'm going to continue trying to find out what I can about this demon.'

'So it IS a demon?' I asked.

He nodded as he walked back up the stairs. 'Potentially, yes.' He continued and we remained silent for a moment.

'So what does "lightweight" mean?' Willow asked again. 'Is that a…Faithy-type word, one of these things you made up?' she asked, her eyes bright and her smile all chipper.


	4. Conversations With the Girl

**Title: **Maybe, Just Maybe  
**Disclaimer: **Please don't; purely for entertainment, creators of 'Buffy'. The characters I created are mine. So steal my idea, or 'borrow' without my permission, and I will be the one to sue.  
**Pairings:**Buffy/Faith  
**Note:**Around Season 3, before 'Bad Girls,' and just so you know, I'm rough on my viewings of S3 so if I get things wrong please let me know. I know I've said this before, but I'm not sure if 'Bad Girls' will eventually happen. Not sure yet. We'll see.  
**Feedback: **Always and forever =D It encourages me to keep writing!!  
**Warnings: **Potential adult situations between two consenting females. So if you do not agree, DON'T READ. You've been warned. Complain, and I will not be pleased  
**Rating: **R for potential adult scenes, and language

* * *

Chapter 3

She crossed her legs over one another as she took the small orange book into her hands and began reading. I stood at my windowsill, watching out at nothing in particular…there wasn't really much to see. A young guy riding a bike…it was almost dark. The street was pretty much deserted.

'Re-occurring dream. I saw the Jordipe reaching out to my neck. I felt no pain. I made no struggle.' She flipped a couple of pages, then made a short laughing noise. 'That's it?'

I looked over my shoulder at the brunette on my bed and shrugged quickly. 'Not much else. I don't dream much.'

Well that was a lie. Not about the slaying dreams, but about dreaming in general. Last night I had a dream I was with Faith, on a beach somewhere. We were training, like before, only this time we ended up…well let's just say sand managed to get into areas I believe are potentially very painful.

I pulled my hair out of its ponytail and ran a brush through it a good couple of times. Faith had been with me ever since school let out. We had decided not to patrol tonight, since we'd done ten nights in a row.

There she was sitting on my bed once again; sure she had a long sleeved white ribbed vest and black leather curve-hugging pants on, and a pair of black boots. She made even those look good. It sounds stupid, but I love the lingering of her scent. A mixture of so many things that sent my senses rolling into an eternal fantasy whirl. Even her voice sent shivers through my spine. The anticipation of seeing her every morning before class, working up a sweat with her.

My feelings for her were growing stronger and stronger every day. I found myself thinking of her so much that I couldn't really focus on anything else. I was gazing out of the window when I heard her shuffle around on my bed. For a moment I imagined she had just woken up after us having messed about and the only thing shielding her body from me were my own pink striped sheets.

We'd both been silent for sometime, and eventually I turned from the window and headed for my bed, though when I approached it, I saw Faith was lying sprawled out across the comforter, asleep.

I'd never seen Faith asleep before and it scared me. I didn't wanna wake her. I wanted to watch her. As soppy and stupid as it sounded, I did. Every time she inhaled, and how she barely moved for a solid block of time. This motionless figure on my bed, asleep.

I raised one knee to the comforter and leant into it as my hands pressed down further in on the mattress and I climbed upon it, as carefully as I could. All the while my eyes were focussed on her slumbering form. She was facing me; a hand beneath her face and the other on the mattress in front of her stomach. She had a peaceful expression upon her face, and seemed as if she was in a nice place. I imagined she was.

A part of me wished that I was there with her. But the rest of me wanted to stay right here, before her, just watching her…I could watch her forever.

I lay down, almost mirroring her position, and still, focussed my gaze upon her form. She grew more beautiful everyday.

And at that moment I have to say I could not even begin to comprehend how the words slipped out of my mouth. 'I wanna love you.' My words were quickly lost by the fact that they were whispered, and I felt the cold breeze of my exhalation across my lips as I uttered those few words.

My hand reached out, hesitant at first, wavering. Although I eventually moved a hand to her cheek, and let my first three fingers trace along it for an extended second, before pulling my hand away, as if I had been caught, as if someone had seen me.

'I really do…' I continued, my voice a little more stressed this time. I felt my eyebrows furrowing a little as I watched her with departed lips. I exhaled through my mouth, and then licked over my bottom lip quickly.

It was only then that I questioned my feelings for Faith. How much _did_ I feel for her? Did I love her?

I think I must've spent hours thinking about it, or at least what seemed like hours.

Though I awoke to the sound of someone shuffling around in my room. I drew in a quick breath and sat up slightly, propping my bed-ridden body up with an elbow. It was almost pitch black in the room, except for the light from an outside street lamp shining in, coupled with the moon shining a pastel blue through the windows.

The figure across the room looked over at me, at smiled softly, and it touched me; awoke butterflies in my stomach. 'Hey, you.'

I was slightly surprised at her choice of words. Hey me?

I moaned a little before yawning. 'What time is it?' I asked as I watched her sitting on the chair at my desk.

She glanced at the clock on my nightstand and so did I. 'Twelve. I should get going.'

I wanted to say "no," wanted to invite her to stay. And I think something in me held me back. What…my own fear.

'It's Saturday tomorrow, right?' I asked quickly, breathily. Some hint of my voice said that I was still sleep-induced.

Faith nodded as she grabbed her slung coat off the back of the chair. 'Why? What'd you have in mind?'

I shrugged, feeling my hair falling over and around my shoulders. I rearranged my legs beneath me, feeling how smooth they felt, and my skirt from school displayed a fine amount of them. I felt pretty sexy, and wanted Faith to think I was too. 'Well why don't you stay? We can…'

'Stay up all night and talk about guys, paint each other's nails and eat low-fat ice cream?' I couldn't figure out whether or not she was making fun of me.

I shook my head. Not quite what the "naughty me" had in mind. 'Well we're gonna meet up tomorrow, right?' I began, pulling myself up into a sitting position. I crossed my legs and ruffled my hair up a little. I wondered if she knew what I was playing at.

'If you want.'

Hmm. Not the reply I was expecting.

'Well why don't you just stay. If it makes you feel better we don't have to paint each other's nails.'

She chuckled and I saw her eyes sparkle in the moonlight. She was so gorgeous. Even with the faintest bit of light she glowed. Every inch of her. And I couldn't take my eyes away from that. I just wish she knew. I wonder if my eyes were telling her right now. Even as I outstretched a leg in front of me and then pulled my top over my head, exposing my purple lacy bra. It made me nervous that I was indeed undressing in front of her. I tossed my top across the room onto the pile of other dirty clothes.

'We can talk about slaying, and sex and…I dunno…partying.'

She sat back in her chair and yawned. 'You know, it's not all I think about.'

I kept silent and watched her watching me. I couldn't quite catch the look in her eyes but I knew that it was something that required digging.

I saw her yawn and stretch out. 'Stay?' I asked, timidly. I didn't want it to seem like I was begging, but I really did want her here right now.

She kicked off her boots and got off the chair and climbed onto the other side of the bed, the same place she'd been in before, facing me. 'Alright.'

She pulled her top over her head to expose her black bra, then shoved down her leather pants, to reveal a pair of tight shorts.

'Do you want a shirt to sleep in?' I asked her, trying not to let my eyes fall down to her chest.

She shook her head a little. 'It's too hot.'

I nodded and smiled a little, before reaching under my pillow to retrieve a cami top. I slipped it on fast and then unpinned my bra from behind and slid it off one arm, then pulled it through the other. I kept my eyes off her the entire time, though had a feeling she was watching me as I stood up, my back to her. I pushed my skirt off my hips and watched it fall to the ground, then stepped out of it. I pulled out a pair of shorts from underneath my pillow and slid them on, slowly, tiredly.

Even as I crossed the room to my desk to brush my hair, I thought I could feel her gaze on me.

That thought disappeared when I heard her moving around on the bed, slipping underneath the covers, I think.

'I'll grab a sleeping bag,' I mused.

'Don't be stupid, getachass under here,' she objected. Smoothly I might add.

So I skiddadled my ass on over to bed and slid in, letting out a tired sigh as I outstretched my legs under the sheets. I lay back and looked up at the ceiling a moment. 'Ever get that feeling?' I heard her say, and glanced out of the corner of my eye at her, in the same position as myself, only with a hand behind her head.

'What feeling?'

'When you get in a good slay…you're itching for some vamp to show up so you can rattle and bang on 'em, give 'em a big, bad uhh?'

I cracked up a moment. 'No.'

She turned to face me and propped herself up with an elbow. 'Nuh uh, you're totally lying.'

'I am not.'

We were quiet a moment and I felt her eyes on me. 'Look at me.'

I looked at her, moving my head towards her slightly.

'Tell me you don't get majorly juiced on the power trip you get from sticking it right in. That adrenaline rush, the action…'

Perhaps I was lying before, but I definitely knew Faith felt these things, and wasn't going to deny it. 'Yeah, okay, maybe just a little.'

She chuckled. 'Good, cos I thought it was just my hormones jumping off on me.'

I frowned and looked her in the eye. 'Huh?'

She was silent a moment as we held our gaze. She looked away from me. 'I…just…it's cos you don't half look hot when you kick ass.'

I felt my stomach tighten. What do I say to that? 'No way.'

'Way.' She lay back and closed her eyes, and I watched her relax into her position. 'Do you think I pull it off?'

'Pull what off?'

'The "hotness" thing. Think I look hot fighting?' Yep, butterflies had most definitely come out to have a good ol' play.

I opened my mouth to speak, feeling immediately parched with a killer dry mouth, not to mention my lips. 'Urh…sure…' I uttered quickly, hoping I didn't sound in any way husky.

'Oh.'

I sighed and shut my eyes for a second. 'No, I mean…Faith you look amazing,' I started. 'You can make anything sexy with the right amount of leather and lipstick.'

She chuckled low in her throat. 'I don't mean slutty, I mean sexy.'

'I know.' I thought I'd leave it there.

'Do you think my leather makes me look slutty?'

Why would I complain? 'No, not at all.'

Silence.

'I'm not, you know.'

'Not what?' I asked gently, letting my eyelids slide over my eyes.

'A slut.'

I hummed a little.

'Really. I haven't been with a guy for a long time, you know.'

'Really?' I hope I didn't sound too interested. Although I wonder if that would've been a bad thing.

'Yeah,' she said, sounding somewhat resolute about that answer. 'Your friends probably think I am, no doubt Giles.'

I sighed. 'No, not at all.' I licked over my lips. 'But to give us props you do kinda suggest it-'

'Through over-exaggeration of vowel sounds, B.'

I smiled a little, listening to her comment. 'I know you're not, Faith. Although what business is it of mine to nose into your sex life.'

She didn't say anything. I wondered what was going through her mind.

'Do you really think there's gonna be an apocalypse?' she asked me quietly, sounding as if she was ready to sleep.

I sighed long and a yawn followed. 'I hope not. But…we live on a Hell mouth. If this demon isn't the bringer of the a-word then no doubt the next one will be.'

She scoffed. 'Why do they even bother? What do they even want?'

'What they all want. Power. Glory. Achievement.'

'So they couldn't just protect the whales? Teach a child?'

I chuckled. 'This coming from you.'

'What's that supposed to mean?'

I shrugged. 'Nothing. Just. You're not really one for painting "mommy and daddy" or swimming with the dolphins.'

'Yeah, but I don't have to be. I already save the world. Isn't that some sort of achievement?'

I thought about it. More silence. 'Well if these bad guys didn't exist, we wouldn't _need_ to save the world from time to time, would we?'

She made a noise. 'Guess not.' She sucked in a deep breath, then exhaled it through her mouth and shuffled a little. 'Ever think who's next?'

'Next what?'

'After me. Next Slayer.'

I opened my eyes and looked at the ceiling before me. 'Well. I don't particularly like the thought that there needs to be another Slayer. You're strong enough not to get dead, right?'

She yawned, and spoke at the same time. 'I like to think so, yeah.'

'Think I am?' I mused.

'What?'

'Strong?'

She smiled to herself, her eyes still closed. 'I like to think so, yeah.'


	5. Channelling the Power

**Title: **Maybe, Just Maybe  
**Disclaimer: **Please don't; purely for entertainment, creators of 'Buffy'. The characters I created are mine. So steal my idea, or 'borrow' without my permission, and I will be the one to sue.  
**Pairings:**Buffy/Faith  
**Note:**Around Season 3, before 'Bad Girls,' and just so you know, I'm rough on my viewings of S3 so if I get things wrong please let me know. I know I've said this before, but I'm not sure if 'Bad Girls' will eventually happen. Not sure yet. We'll see.  
**Feedback: **Always and forever =D It encourages me to keep writing!!  
**Warnings: **Potential adult situations between two consenting females. So if you do not agree, DON'T READ. You've been warned. Complain, and I will not be pleased  
**Rating: **R for potential adult scenes, and language

* * *

Chapter 4

Listening to the sound of my own breath gave me a comforting feeling. I was still alive. Gradually my senses began noticing my surroundings. First my sense of smell. I could still smell the lingering scent of her. From last night. From all those times she'd been here and her scent just stayed in this room. With me.

Next my sense of touch. The breeze drifting in through my window. Although I had no recollection of opening a window I soon realised how soothing the cool breeze was against my warm skin.

Sight. I blinked my eyes open and shut a good few times before properly focussing on the daylight-stimulated objects around me. The clock on my nightstand. The time. I couldn't take it in. I didn't need to. It was day. So it was day. Not like I was trying to catch the summer sales. I noticed a pair of boots across the room and quickly remembered they were Faith's, from yesterday.

It didn't occur to me she wasn't still in bed until I sat up and noticed a large space beside me. Maybe she went to the bathroom.

Even so.

I slid to the foot of the bed and stepped out, the covers slightly tangled with my legs, although I quickly straightened that out and threw the cover back onto the bed, fairly neatly.

Once again my sense of sound gave me the ability to listen to my feet padding along my carpeted floor. The creaking of my bedroom door as I pulled it towards me and exited the room.

I ran my fingers back through my hair as I sighed and watched my step…literally as I jogged down stairs. I followed the walls round to the kitchen, aiming for a strong cup of coffee or at least tea. Something refreshing.

I pulled the fridge door to, checking that there were contents, and sighed disappointedly upon finding none. I wasn't hungry anyway.

I quickly brewed some coffee and poured a cup-full for myself. I decided to go get the paper and maybe pretend to be sophisticated and read through it. Although when I stepped out of the back door to go round to get it, I saw her.

Training.

Was that some form of tai…chi?

I leant back against the doorframe with a cup of coffee in my hand and the other folded underneath my engaged arm. A contented smile took control of my lips and I squinted my eyes a little from the beaming sun.

Each move she made seemed immaculately timed and gorgeously perfect. She stepped into her positions so wonderfully, taking every step as if it were a routine she'd practiced since birth.

Something about the way she focussed, the concentration on her face told me that determination was fuelling inside her. And in no way would it disappear. She outstretched an arm in front of her, and for some reason I felt as if I could feel that energy flowing through that hand. Even the way she dragged it back sent a jolt through me.

She was so perfect and in her eyes believed that her special talent was something that singled her out. Made her unwanted.

But her eyes told me a different story than her mouth. Her eyes told me a story of…pure mentality. Possessing the power to channel your emotions through every single movement you physically made. How, focussing your mental energy could create physical power, strength. And now in her eyes, as I watched their stillness, and that one-hundred per cent focus on the task at hand, I could see something I think I had never seen before.

A different kind of strength. Something I could not begin to understand, and try to possess. Perhaps you had to have been to that special place to know.

A let out a self-satisfied chuckle as I brought the mug to my lips and I could tell immediately I had startled her. She pressed a hand to her chest briefly followed by a shit-eating grin swiping across her lips, just for a prolonged moment. Then it became a warm smile. 'I didn't wanna wake you,' she began, letting both arms to her sides, and approaching me with a muted and hidden anxiety.

I nodded my head. 'Thanks.' She stood a few feet before me and I took another sip of my coffee. 'That's quite some thing you have going there…it seems pretty cool. Giles never told me you-'

'I took a yoga and tai chi class. Just one. Figured it might help channel some anger, release more strength.' I told you.

She pulled her hair out of the messy bun it had been in and pulled it back into a neater ponytail as she stepped inside, and headed for the stairs. I followed closely behind as her destination became a solid mission. 'The tutor was all about aligning yourself with natural elements and the closest I have is earth. So I decided to train out in the yard, where grass is. Listen to some birds.'

I raised my eyebrows as we trekked up the stairs and towards the bathroom.

'He said that focussing was the key to handling the exercise and noise pollution wouldn't help. But when you know what your object is – in our case to slay vamps and fight nasty evil stuff – it's pretty easy to block out all the things going on around you.' She swallowed and pulled her top up above her head as she continued, and I timidly perched upon the toilet seat.

'The thing is he did tend to talk a whole load of crap, going on about meditation this and that. So it got to the point where I realised I didn't need fifteen sessions to learn how to focus and channel energy. For Christ's sake I already know how to slay a vamp. But I figured…finding a way to channel this extra energy that I always seem to have, finding a way to keep it and use for future use could mean a bigger, better and hotter slayer.' By this time she had stripped down to her underwear, having taken off a pair of joggers she had borrowed from my draw, I'm guessing, this morning, when I was still asleep.

My eyes could not help but stray, exploring her body. First her hips, as they became exposed inch by inch by her slowly pushing down the joggers.

The clenching of her leg muscles as she lifted one off the ground; her arms…the intense creamy almost-toffee complexion beginning to bronze from a wonderful tan. Her stomach, how perfectly toned it was and how it didn't move when she respired.

Oh. It wasn't that I wasn't listening, I just…'Definitely hotter,' I muttered before drinking the remainder of my coffee.

'What?' she asked as she stepped in front of the mirror and checked for pimples (I'm guessing).

My stomach clenched for a brief moment. 'Have you been working out more than you usually do? You look pretty buff. And for all the junk you eat-'

'Ey just because I don't eat fat-free salad everyday it doesn't mean my food isn't nutritious.' She pulled her hair out of its tie-back and used her fingers to push it up to her wrist.

'Yeah. Okay. I think the tai chi's really getting to your head.'

I believe my dreams came true as I watched her push her small black shorts off her hips followed by her un-strapping her matching black bra and dropping it to the floor, as if it were nothing. She turned to the shower and switched it on, and stepped inside it, slid the door shut.

This is me…dumbfounded.

'No it's not. I tell you what all that sexual energy and no way to get rid of it…well…yeah…no way to _share_ it was getting me frustrated. You know how hot I get, girlfriend. It's all the same for you and you know it.'

I don't think I'd moved my eyeballs since seeing her strip down to nothing right before me. Comfortable, or what.

'Hey B?' her voice came from inside the shower, slightly drowned out by the water beating down into the shower toughly.

I shook myself up a little and swallowed. 'Urm, sorry?'

I heard her scoff. 'When are you gonna _get _this, B? You know how intense the life of a Slayer is.'

I don't believe I'd listened to a word of what she had just said. 'I'm sorry?' I said after a long silence, figuring she must've just said something, which she had.

'When I finally thought you were beginning to get it…'

'Get what?'

'You heard what I just said.'

I frowned a little, coming to my senses now, and actually listening to her words.

'No, I er- I didn't quite catch them.'

There was silence and I think she was squidging shampoo out of the bottle. 'I said…you _know _how intense the life of a Slayer is.' There was more silence as my mind processed her words. She was completely right. And it was even more intense when one Slayer began to fall in love with the other.

'That adrenaline rush…' she continued, though trailed off quickly. 'Just think how much power is behind us, let alone IN us. I wanna be able to _use_ that, you know?'

Me too. I wanted to be able to be with her and it would be the most amazing experience ever. So much power behind it, _sexual energy_ as she had said. It's amazing me that I am finally realising this. But it still astounds me how I hide it so much from her. Perhaps I shouldn't so much. I think I would give anything to have the strength to strut into that shower right now, slam her body against the cool tiling, kiss her…I think I wanted her to touch me. I could picture myself moaning against this innocuous touch, fuelled with determination, driven by passion…power. I wanted her. I know that now.

Even as her back faced me, and all I could see was a mesh of silky skin, drenched by water, cleansing her, purging her of any previous scent, and I inwardly cursed at it for doing so.

I rose from the toilet seat and headed for the door. As long as I couldn't have her, I couldn't be there with her, right at that time. It was driving me crazy. I could see her, but I couldn't touch her. And she wouldn't touch me. Because she wouldn't want to.


	6. DemonSized Chocolates are the Epitome of...

**Title: **Maybe, Just Maybe  
**Disclaimer: **Please don't; purely for entertainment, creators of 'Buffy'. The characters I created are mine. So steal my idea, or 'borrow' without my permission, and I will be the one to sue.  
**Pairings:**Buffy/Faith  
**Note:**Around Season 3, before 'Bad Girls,' and just so you know, I'm rough on my viewings of S3 so if I get things wrong please let me know. I know I've said this before, but I'm not sure if 'Bad Girls' will eventually happen. Not sure yet. We'll see.  
**Feedback: **Please =)   
**Rating: **R

* * *

Marching…lots of marching. And pokey stick things with, all inscriptions. Latin, I think. Looks like it. Could be ancient Greek. Plenty more marching. Loads of people. No.

Hooded…beings. I see them from up above, as if I am in an aeroplane. Looks like Hell. The centre of a desert. Armies of beings marching. In one direction. They all have this pokey things.

I sat up in a hurry, my chest pounding, the loudest noise I could hear, bar my breathing. I was covered in sweat…again. I knew it was a Slayer dream, it had to be. It felt all too real.

- - -

'They're getting worse!' I said somewhat irritated into the mouthpiece, playing with the pulling string on my joggers.

Giles sighed through the telephone and I thought I could feel his frustration. I had woken him up at close to two-thirty in the morning.

He made a short groaning noise, and I think he was getting out of bed. 'How intense?'

'Worse than, like…I- It felt like I was there, I could feel the heat of the atmosphere on my skin, and I could hear the murmuring of the marching thingies. Oh, and…fire…there was fire, like…in the distance. I couldn't get down there. And I couldn't understand what they were doing.'

'What did you say they looked like?'

I winced as I raised my hand to my forehead and clenched the skin there. 'Uhm. It's difficult, I don't quite remember. But it just felt…so intense.'

'And here I was thinking you were stuck on that reoccurring dream of that Messenger.'

'Perhaps it was a message,' I thought aloud.

'Hmm, I think perhaps it was.' There was some silence and I think we were both thinking about the same thing, only in different contexts. 'If it's at all possible, contact Faith. Ask her if she's been having any dreams. I may have been wrong about the Jordipe. Perhaps he's creating pieces of a puzzle and Faith has the next piece.'

'Good deal. Only…'

'Only what?'

'What if there are others and they're having the dreams?'

He sighed. 'Then we'll have to contact the Council, see what we can do about it.'

I thought about what he had just said for an extended moment, chewing on my lower lip. 'Okay.' I drew in a long breath and sighed it out again. 'Sorry to wake you. Get some sleep. Don't think too hard. Gotta save some of that power of yours to put into practice tomorrow morning.'

'Goodnight, Buffy,' he said, I think getting irritated at my talking too much.

'Goodnight. And thanks, Giles.' I pressed the red telephone button, and then proceeded to dialling Faith's number, though paused halfway through. I hadn't spoken to her since Saturday. It was now Sunday night, no…Monday morning. I had been all awkward on the whole shower thing and I don't know if she knew that. But ninety-five per cent of me was hoping and wishing that I would get over my fear and finally speak to her about it. The five remaining per cent of me would get all stuttery and finally go mute. Damn that five per cent.

- - -

I leant against the wall as I pressed the phone to my ear and listened for the pick up. I was inwardly very happy when I heard her bed-ridden voice. 'This better be good.'

'It's me,' I replied, listening to how breathy my voice was, and a little scared that it had become all too husky for a tired voice.

'Oh, so it is good,' came her voice from down the line.

I felt my stomach begin to do gymnastics. I chuckled nervously, though I think it was well hidden that I was nervous. I drew in a loud breath of air and ran my hand up along the wall. 'Whatcha dooin'?' I asked. Just out of interest. Strictly professional. Of course. You know me.

She laughed a little. 'What do you think, B?'

If her voice wasn't so naturally husky I wouldn't be imagining these naughty things that involved me every single time. Oh…except for once.

I made a humming noise, thoughtful sound. 'Well…it's you Faith. Never can be too sure-'

'Okay, seriously, what did you call me for, B? Because I'm guessing phone sex isn't on the agenda.'

I paused. 'Oops. You got me,' I said, my voice playing the 'innocent' card.

She scoffed and I heard a shuffling noise. I would imagine her shifting about in bed. 'Well finally, B, I wondered when we would do this, you and me goin' rough and tumble!' She sounded just a little too excited for me, though some part of me told me she was joking, which I think she actually was.

There was however, the soppy, needy part of me that wanted to believe that she wasn't. 'C'mon Faith, strictly professional, remember? Not until after-hours, we agreed, remember?'

'Well if after-hours isn't now, when is it? It's two a.m, B, or close enough to. Are you seriously tellin' me you're looking for a way to de-horn yourself or is there actually some "professional" subtext to your vocabulary?'

'You mean subtext to yours,' I muttered, meaning what the hell had she just said?

She grunted and I chuckled. 'Okay, okay. I needed to ask a question.'

'Just one?' she droned out, straining on each word.

'Well kinda.' I took a breath. 'I had this dream.'

Silence. I don't think she was going to say something. Either that or she was major pissed that I had interrupted her sleep.

'Okay, so. There were these being things and all of this hellish activity that I didn't quite grasp all of. I'm sure it was a Slayer-ish type dream, or maybe I'm just over-worrying about things, but I really don't-'

'B, honey, sweetie. Is there gonna be an intermission of some sort in this?'

I sighed, my mouth still open from being cut off. 'Well, I, uh…Giles told me to call you and find out if you knew something, or had the same dream, or a different type of dream that might be a message from this Jordipe thing.' I took a breath. 'Did you?'

'But I thought they only delivered the goods to one slayer at a time. You know. A one-slayer demon?'

'Well Giles said he may have been wrong.'

'Even so. Nada.'

Silence.

'Nothing?'

'Well if you really want me to tell you what's been happening in my dreams,I-'

'It's okay, Faith,' I said softly. I imagined I sounded dreamy on her end of the phone. 'Why don't you just get some sleep, I'll see you in the morning.'

She sighed. 'Sure.'

Then all of a sudden there was a deathly silence. Not like something bad was about to happen, but like…an opportunity for me to speak.

I opened my mouth, though hesitated. 'Ever…get that…that…feeling?' I started, looking into thin air, chewing on my lower lip, furrowing my eyebrows. Nervous. So nervous.

She sighed and hummed. 'All the time, B. It's always been there. Every day.'

I frowned. Did she…know what I was talking about? 'Erm…'

'The only thing is…some things are better left…unsaid.'

There was more silence between us. I didn't realise I hadn't been breathing until I heard her voice again.

'Night, B.' her voice was soft. I had never really heard that from her before. But her voice sounded loving. Understanding. I think I was falling in love with it. I wanted to hear it some more.

'Faith?'

'Hmm?' She sounded sleepy.

I dare not say it. 'I…I…I love…'

'I love this, too. You and me. Slayers, girlfriend. It's a nice thought. We have a connection.' I listened to her voice and felt myself drifting into Buffy-land once more. Was I just about to tell her I loved her? I think I was. 'No one else can understand that, just us. It's what makes us so special. We save the world. We, rock.'

I failed to reply to anything she'd just said, until finally, after having frowned to the point where my eyebrows hit my chin, I opened my mouth to speak. 'Good night, Faith.'

I should've hung on just a little longer, waiting for her to reply to me, but instead I hung up the phone, pressing the red phone button and holding it for as long as my mind drifted. I can't believe myself right now.

I had to get out.

And I did. I walked. Walked 'til dawn. I don't even know where I went. I don't think I was paying attention. All that was going through my mind was Faith. Over and over. "I love…" Why on Earth? I was stupid. Telling her that would push her further away from me.

It was only when I realised I was approaching my house that I finally came to my senses. I strolled up the driveway, in no more than my shorts and t-shirt, and into the house through the backdoor.

It was daylight, although the streets were sound. I indolently moved my feet along the floor and up the stairs, to my bedroom, where I sat on the end of the bed and let go.

Yes. I _was_ crying. Crying at how pathetic I was. I couldn't think for long enough without Faith popping into my mind. Everything I did made me want to be with her. Her. Everyday. All the time. And it wasn't just wanting her. I wanted her to want me.

My hot tears fell down my wind-stricken cheeks and down to my chin, where they lingered 'til the liquid weight became too much and gravity pulled them to my hands below.

I sniffled and exhaled like a baby having its favourite toy being taken away for being naughty. My eyelids fell closed and I could see her in my mind, as she was in the yard on Saturday, as beautiful as I had imagined her to be.

I wanted her to be mine. And I wanted to be hers. But that would never happen. I needed to get over her.

- - -

'What's this?' I asked as I sat cross legged on Willow's bedroom floor. She was a sweet girl. Good natured. All fluffy and light. Mostly. Except for the Wicca part. But it wasn't about evilness. She was really very good at it.

Her eyes followed my pointed finger and then she smiled. 'Oh it's just some lavender, and…' She pointed to another pot of herbs beside it. 'That's rosemary. Oh, and…' She reached behind her and grabbed a couple of burning joss sticks. 'Sandalwood.'

'Mmm, it smells good.'

She nodded and knelt down across from me before working on mixing some things, and I just watched on. 'So, what are you making?'

She shrugged. 'I read somewhere this thing to help you feel less tired, like you know in the mornings when you hate getting up and you feel all bleurgh?'

'Yeah. So it's like a stimulant?'

She made a funny "mneh" sound. 'No, not…exactly. It does kinda have the sort of same effect but it's kinda magical.'

'So an illusion?'

She shook her head as she used her mortar and pestle to crush some things. 'No. It focuses on releasing and bringing together certain energies in your body. Like refreshing a chakra, or balancing some energy.'

I nodded, not quite understanding, but trying to. 'Right. So it's kind of like a magical coffee?' I picked up a small piece of lavender and started twiddling it in my fingers.

She nodded. 'I guess you could say that. If you're looking at it the "non magical" way.'

She continued crushing herbs and things and I sat back and watched. We were silent for a while, her concentrating so hard on her potions, and me…Well let's just say, the other day hadn't exactly sieved from my mind.

Faith. Yep. All that was on my mind. Apart from Willow making her potion-y things. Herbal remedies and vanquishing potions. Had a kind of narcissistic twist. Willow and vanquishing potions.

God, she looked so happy. She deserved that. Especially after everything we'd been through in our young lives. Not so much in most people's cases. A lot in our cases, and some others. And after everything she wanted to practice this craft, and study it. I had no idea what kinds of depths it went to, but for some reason her interest in it made me interested.

I had never really thought about it that way.

I wonder if Faith was okay. Not that she wouldn't be, she's a strong person. But I…wondered. If she was okay.

I remember the time when that vamp stepped on her foot. That face she made, made me laugh. Although It wasn't particularly funny- her pain, I mean. But still. She had a way of making things comical when she wanted to. Unless if that wasn't a time.

'So what's up with you and Faith? Shouldn't you guys be patrolling right around now?' I noticed how she sounded a little piss-takey with that comment.

I shook my head. 'Night off. Giles said we should cool it, what with the…apocalypse thingy…'

Willow made a tiny "ah" noise before nodding her head slowly. 'So…what's all about this? Is it a Slayer thing?' She wouldn't look at me, and continually looked at her crushed herbs, which I think she was just pounding on to release some anger…I don't understand why.

'Erm…it's difficult.'

She chuckled breathily a little, which disappeared quickly. 'I'm not…I'm not stupid, Buffy,' she said, raising her eyebrows on "stupid" and over emphasising how it was pronounced.

I opened my eyes a little wider and pressed a hand to the carpet to support myself whilst rearranging my legs, which were getting cramp. 'Will, I didn't mean-'

'Yeah, but it's like I've just been "cut out" or something. Like…I'm not worthy of your Slayer Status anymore, because I don't have any special powers or anything.'

I craned my neck forwards a little. 'Willow, I-'

'I _know_, you and Faith are "sister slayers."' She drew in a long breath and sighed it out as she spoke. 'Why should the "geeky little high-school loser" think she can do anything that's worth a darn.'

I realised finally. She felt left out. First the Bronze, then the slaying, then the apocalypse demon. I took the mortar and pestle from her hands and took her hands in mine.

'Willow, it is NOT that, I swear. I just…'

'You just don't want me to get hurt, I know.'

'Yeah, but Willow. It's not just that I don't want you to get hurt. I CAN'T let you get hurt. Because you mean too much. It's not about the strength or the power. I'm meant to protect you guys, not let you fight. Get killed. Because that is exactly what will happen if I do.'

'But I've done stuff like this before, I can do it again,' she pleaded.

'But it's dangerous, Will.' I licked over my lips, feeling my throat becoming restricted. I think I wanted to cry. 'You have taught me so much, already, Willow. And I'm not saying you're not strong enough because,' I moved a hand to her forehead and pressed my palm sideways against it softly. 'Up here, you are. And you're SO much more powerful than I will ever be! Don't think that I won't let you into this because you don't deserve to fight next to me, I'm nothing special-'

'You're the Slayer-'

'I'm A Slayer. All I do is fight vampires and the occasional stronger demon-thing. What you do is more important. This…' I looked around me. 'This is safer for you-'

She took her hands away from mine and sat back a little, and I think her eyes were welling with tears a little. 'What if, I don't _wanna_ be safe anymore? Huh?' She exhaled and looked down to the palms of her hands. 'All my life, I've been the safe kid, the one who sticks to the rules. The one who never goes wild, or does something strange…okay…not that part.' She sighed. 'When I met you, when I found out about you, it made me…feel excited. Like…we're a team. You, me, Xander, Giles. Angel.' She looked at me whilst saying this, her eyes uber-hopeful, until her eyebrows raised a moment, then her eyes fell. 'Then came Faith.'

'You don't like her?' I asked, my voice moving up an octave or ten.

She shook her head immediately, looking up at me. 'I love who she is. That exciting, mysterious, sexy and scary personality. She can do, have, take ANYTHING she wants, and she does. And I'm not jealous of what she has, or what she wants…I'm jealous of what she _took_.' She shrugged her shoulders, looking at me, not quite at my eyes but sort of.

I frowned a tiny little bit and then realised. 'Me.'

'You make my life exciting, in my boring, pathetic, useless-'

'Will, you are _far_ from useless. You're my best friend, and I would NEVER leave you. But…I just don't want you to get hurt because of me, because of evil. It's not fair on you.'

'I don't care! It's my decision, Buffy, otherwise, if I didn't like it, I would've backed out! But I didn't, and I still don't want to. But it seems like now that's the only thing that I can do because you don't want me to get involved, and Faith thinks I'm all useless and stuff-'

I shook my head and moved in a little closer to her. 'She doesn't think that.'

Silence. Willow stared into the palms of her hands, then made a slight scoffing sound. 'But it's true.'

I took her hands in mine again. 'It's _not_, Will. Look around you. You're learning. Same as me, learning something of your own, that _I _can't even begin to understand. We need a spell, a-a potion, who do we go to?'

She shrugged.

'You, Will. We go to _you_. Because _we_ know that _you_ know.'

There was more silence and I think she was calming down. 'But…can you just…stop worrying about me. Like…me getting hurt. I-I can learn, how to fight, er, physically, I mean?'

I smiled a little, and she looked hopefully at me. 'Okay. But…you have to promise me one thing…'

She shook her head and moved in a little closer to me, her hands still in mine. 'Anything-'

'You have _got_ to be careful. We patrol, something gets too tough, PLEASE just back out.' She nodded. 'And…let _me_ train you…cos Faith is just…'

'Lemme guess….all about the rough and tumble?' she said, sounding a little drained, though in the Willowy-way that she always does, breathing pauses and all.

I chuckled and pulled her in for a hug. 'I love you, Will. You mean loads to me. I don't want you to get hurt, much less die because of this.'

She hugged me back. 'But I love you too, and if you're gonna be fighting, I wanna help you. You're _my_ best friend. That's what friends are for. To help each other, right?'

- - -

I strolled towards Faith's motel room, carrying a bag of greasy chips covered in vinegar, a video and a box of chocolates. And a stake…and a small…fork thing.

My heart was pounding. After Willow's house I wasn't sure how I was feeling about things. Willow joining in on the Slayer thing was a slight challenge, but it eliminated the 'Me and Faith' time that I so dearly appreciated. Shower breaks included.

I knocked middle-to-lightly upon her front door and stood back a little, quickly pressing my lips together to make sure I had enough lip gloss. I hope I was looking good. "All that and a bag of chips." And a videotape. Catchy.

The door came to and there behind the door stood Faith in a black mini skirt and a white vest top (ribbed), a black bra underneath. She had just washed her hair, and she was barefoot. She looked unbelievable to me.

She didn't have any make up on, except for shiny bright red lipstick, which made her gorgeous pouty lips look even poutier. She was so gorgeous. Such a vision.

'I-I Faith…urm…' Yes. Stuttery, or shut up. Should've voted shut up, because I sounded like what I had really seen was another naked version of Faith.

'My chips?' she said, one hand, one finger pointing towards them, one hand holding the door.

I nodded (good option) and handed them to her. 'I didn't eat any.' Wow. A full sentence. I'll be onto three syllable splutters next. Wasn't I a wonderous one.

'You've never eaten chips in your life, of course you didn't eat one.'

'Hey, I so have,' I said, my voice suddenly perky. I stepped in and she moved to the side to let me past, shutting the door behind me. I heard her feet padding along the floor behind me and all at once I was nervous again. I slipped off my jacket and dropped it on the…on the…looked for a place to drop my jacket, before finally settling it down on the…on the…floor. 'Here, lemme take that,' she said twiddling her ringed fingers at me. I looked at her hand and then smiled timidly, passing her the jacket at the same time.

I couldn't help but watch her pressed together lips, glowing at the light in the room. They didn't even NEED light to glow. They did all by themselves. But here she was. Gorgeous lips and all. Then her back was to me, in the wardrobe, hanging up my jacket. I blamed my jacket for the depravation of the view of her lips. Damn it. Stupid jacket.

It didn't matter because she soon turned back to me and looked down at her soggy chips, and I imagined she must've been starving because she dipped right into them.

'What did you get?' she asked through a chip-full mouth, and used her free (greasy fingered) hand to take the tape from me.

'Some, chick flick.'

She grunted. 'Boring.'

'It's a classic.'

She looked at me, pausing in chewing.

'What? It is…it's "Clueless." Alicia Silverstone is just a Betty in that,' I started.

'O-kay, sweets, calm it down, it's just a flick.' She opened the case by pressing it to her stomach and pulling the case open with her thumb, her other four fingers pressed against the other side of the case. She looked great doing it.

Meanwhile her chips accompanied her other hand, and I'm sure she was missing them.

She slipped the video in and sat down on the floor, leant up against her bed. I joined her and pulled open my box of chocolates immediately. 'Praline?'

She looked at me as if I'd come out of a changing room wearing a "Star Wars" outfit. I felt silly. I put them on my lap and shrugged. 'They're yummy.'

'Not with chips and vinegar.' She licked her finger and then pointed to one of the chocolates. 'Save me that one.'

I nodded and then reached for the one next to it. Perhaps I could feed it to her and she'd make a humming noise as her eyelids fluttered closed and she'd lap up the mixed in caramel centre…

There goes me dreaming again. I bet inside she thought I was all goody-two shoes, brought up so well I would never stray. Except for…Angel. As hot as he was, I couldn't get over how much hotter Faith was. And it was different. For one, she was more alive. And in a way…darker.

Like the way that she licked her fingers was almost erotic, like…it was a tool…of some sort. And how she _made_ that "Mmm" sound when the first chip hit her tongue. I wonder if I could taste that good to her.

So much of me was dying to find out.

I wonder if she tasted as good as this chocolate I was eating. I'm sure she tasted better. Much better.

'So what happens in this thing? Does the blonde trip over a rock and decide to get a nose job to compensate for the brain damage created? Assuming that she actually has some form of brain…you know…the "Stage One" kind.' I just looked at her for a moment, then my forehead creased.

'She's not dumb, Faith.'

'She thinks yellow and black match, if that's not dumb, then what is?'

'I think they match.'

Silence.

'Yeah but you could get away with that.' She licked her finger and dipped her hand right back into her chips.

'What's that suggesting?'

Faith raised an eyebrow, tilted her head slightly and scoffed before raising a chip to her lips. She looked at me briefly, and I think my nervous system amplified a thousand as her eyes drifted down my body. I pretended not to notice the eyes.

I quickly looked back at the television and upturned a palm towards it. 'She's just a girl, experimenting, with different, very fashionable colours. And look, she's got a wonderful complexion that would go with almost anything…' She pushed my hand slowly down and looked in my eyes.

'Okay, B. I get it,' she told me, quite low, the corner of her mouth pulled up into a very sneaky, sexy smile. She kept held of my hand for just a little too long, and I couldn't help but let my facial expression fall as she kept looking at me.

I snapped out of whatever it was that had just happened there and looked at her bag of chips. 'You done with those? I'm going to the bathroom, I can drop 'em in the bin, if you want.' I put down my chocolates, got up, straightened out my white neat trousers and reached out my hand.

Faith looked at my hand, then her chips. She screwed up the bag quickly, and handed it to me. 'Yeah, sure,' she said, sounding (and looking) slightly confused as her eyebrows furrowed and her eyes concentrated on the bag and handing it to me.

I took it from her, my fingers touching hers slightly, and I felt a jolt, run right through me, to the core of me. I flashed a look in her eyes and caught her gaze for just a second before turning and heading for the bathroom, bringing a fingernail to my lips as I did.

I closed the door behind me and leant against it, making a large clattering sound as I did. I didn't care. I closed my eyelids tight and clenched the screwed up bag of chips. Two words. My. _God. _I couldn't take this for much longer.

Her ways of being sessy and unbelievably jokable were indeed frying me alive. I needed to have her and I could not take much more of this.

Something…

I sat down on the closed toilet seat and sighed out carefully.

Something in her eyes. Something in the way she looked at me…at _my _body. I couldn't quite get it. _Did _she like me? Did she want me?

If so…was I stupid in not making a move? Should I?

I tossed the chips into the bin and flushed the toilet, just to make her think I actually did _need_ to use it, and moved over to the sink, pushing the cold water tap, on…well…the tap, on. I looked up at myself.

My god. I looked okay. I looked like someone had just dropped a bombshell on Sunnydale…again. But…no…this is stupid.

I moved my fingers slightly under the running ICE COLD water (I might add – at least it wasn't brown) and moved them up to my hair, pulling a few strands of my held back hair out, running my fingers along them.

Then I just pulled my hair out, and shook it. Maybe that was better. Nah.

I did the flip trick (where you flip your hair back over your shoulders). That DID indeed do the trick. I looked relaxed. Maybe too horny. Maybe I _was_.

I turned the door handle and watched my hand on it as I opened it, then ran my hands down over my hips as if to wipe the extra moisture off, and headed back where Faith was.

I noticed how fixed her eyes were on the television, and inwardly felt stupid for going to all that bother for making myself look sexy. It wasn't completely over though. We had the rest of the movie.

I sat down and picked up my box of chocolates and immediately brought one to my mouth, to find it was half gone. 'What the…' Caramel was dripping out of it and it got all over my fingers.

'Oh sorry, it was so good I wanted to save some for later.'

'Faith,' I said sounding surprised. 'You're not one to "save" things. Don't you always devour them…gobble 'em right up?'

She shrugged. 'Maybe I changed.'

I chuckled. 'Yeah, okay.' I raised the chocolate to my mouth and went to eat it, though she held my hand where it was, then moved the box of chocolates away from me, and by now my eyebrows had furrowed and my mouth made a perfect "O" shape. She looked at me, turned to face me, and smiled almost raunchily.

'I'm sorry, I-'

She placed a finger on my lips, sitting on her knees, facing me, her legs slightly departed. 'Let's share it.'

I didn't really know what to say to that.

She took my hand, and all the while my eyes were darting between my hand, the chocolate and her face. I saw her tongue slide out of her mouth and onto the chocolate, and I couldn't describe the feeling I got as her tongue hit my fingers…she licked the caramel that had been strung out over my fingers, and I swallowed hard. I noticed I was furrowing my eyebrows, and she was still looking at me. She moved away and sucked on the chocolate in her mouth.

'Your turn,' she said, with a slight giggle.

I couldn't help but break through my seriously confused face and start laughing. 'No way, you just had your mouth all over that!'

She grabbed my leg gently and gave it a squeeze. 'It tastes so good, though.' I noticed her bring her lower lip into her mouth and bite down on it after her tongue had had a go at it. Her eyes were so intense.

I chuckled a little more, then looked at the chocolate. I moved the chocolate to my mouth and let my eyelids fall closed, let my lips depart, and let the chocolate come to me. As the luxurious silk passed over my lips I uttered a small moan, tasting the richness immediately. I dipped my tongue into the hollowness if it and caught some of the caramel there. She was right. It was amazing.

I hummed as I pulled away from the chocolate, and opened my eyes slightly, Faith sitting even closer to me now, her eyes feasting on my image. I was inwardly startled at this, though remained calm.

'You were right, Faith, that was gorgeous chocolate.'

She nodded, no sound. She lifted her hand to mine again, and moved the chocolate towards her mouth once again. Was this a game? I was beginning to think more and more that perhaps she did want this…me.

She took the remainder of the demon-sized chocolate into her mouth using her teeth, and sat back. 'C'mere.' She said through the chocolate, using her hand to portray her words.

I did as she said, moving in closer to her, unsure of the next action she had planned. Although when I realised what was going to happen my body tripped into hormonal overload.

At first she placed a hand on my cheek, and her fingers rested at my jawbone. Then she drew in just a little closer to me. She exhaled once. That's all. Then brushed her lips against mine. So gorgeously softly. And then…I caught her upper lip between both of mine, and pressed a hand to her upper leg, ever so lightly, as if resting.

I closed my eyes, and frowned slightly, still a little confused at what was happening, and worried that I was hallucinated all over again. I let a tiny moan escape my lips as I moved away for a second. I went back, and this time, she swept her tongue across my lips. I could taste the remainder of the chocolate that was now on my lips, and it was indeed gorgeous. I used my other hand to grip her shoulder and hers, my waist. I moved in even closer to her, and she, me.

I had no concept of how this begun yet was so happy to be in the midst of it. My tongue began exploring her mouth, so softly, so…gingerly, and she replied with a meek motion…almost completely unlike the Faith I thought I knew. As I said: I imagined she devoured her treats…if that's what I was. But this…she was so…like…me…cautious…tentative…A hand moved up to my hair and soon fingers were running through it. We warmed to the kiss a little more and she leaned even further into me, our bodies almost completely pressed together, so firm that I could feel her heartbeat against my right breast.

She felt wonderful. And tasted even more. I waited for her to pull away; I wanted to let the kiss last for as long as she wanted. When she finally pulled away, she smiled coyly, which broke into a gentle laugh. I followed suit.

'Tasty chocolate, huh,' she joked, and I chuckled as I sat back and moved the palm of my hand to my forehead, then ran it back through my hair.

'Yup. Definitely "tasty,"' I replied, almost cheekily. I kept my eyes off her when I said that, looking in fact at the remaining box of chocolates. When I did look back to her, I saw she was still smiling, which made me laugh more. 'Think I better…' I reached over to the box and moved the lid from the underneath to the top, to cover it. I saw her pout briefly though shrugged it off and moved her legs out from underneath her, and looked towards the movie, somewhat perkier and smiley than she had been before.


	7. Warming Up to Red

**Title: **Maybe, Just Maybe  
**Disclaimer: **Please don't; purely for entertainment, creators of 'Buffy'. The characters I created are mine. So steal my idea, or 'borrow' without my permission, and I will be the one to sue.  
**Pairings:**Buffy/Faith, and a special surprise!  
**Note:**Around Season 3, before 'Bad Girls,' and just so you know, I'm rough on my viewings of S3 so if I get things wrong please let me know. **Still** not sure if 'Bad Girls' will happen. Not sure yet. We'll see as it unfolds.  
**Feedback: **Always =)   
**Rating: **R

* * *

Chapter 6

I walked into school with a spring in my step. Literally. I was bouncing off the walls, the ceiling, even the floor. The past few days had had both bad and good qualities, but last night had topped everything I'd ever experienced. Even with Angel.

I pushed both library doors open and bounced in, my bright blue mini and pink cami top seeming efficiently and appropriately relative to my attitude.

I saw Faith, sparring with Willow. What a sight. They looked so great, in their own individual, unique, COMPLETELY different ways. I dropped my bag on the side counter and continued approaching them. I saw Faith was stretching out her hand and wiggling her fingers, and Willow was containing a blocking stance. A very good one, at that.

'Hey, guys. Isn't it a bit early?'

Willow shrugged. 'I wanted to get an early start and Faith offered to meet me here.'

I raised my eyebrows, smiled, and looked to Faith. 'I love that attitude.'

Faith shrugged and then moved back into a blocking stance, looking directly at Will, focussing at how she contained herself. Such piquancy. She looked at it strangely. Not, what would she do next? Not, how could she get her on the ground? Not…what was her soft spot? The question was…how juiced would she be to throw such a hot punch?

Faith saw it as some sort of game…I'm sure. And she somehow always won.

'Never can be too prepared, huh, B?' Was that a sentence filled with subtext and subtext on top of that? I huffed out a little and smiled warmly, standing back, deciding to watch them spar for a while.

Willow was very good. I'd never really seen her properly use martial artsian type moves on Faith but she was using them pretty well. She was a quick study. A _very_ quick study.

I folded my arms across one another and smiled. 'Will, so how are you liking it?' She landed a backhander across Faith's face – something she had gotten FROM Faith – and grunted out a, 'I'm loving every moment…of it.' She threw more moves during that sentence but I only caught every other word.

Faith had to concentrate. I think she underestimated Will's…willpower. She was immaculate. Vicious. Almost as perfect as us. Right there with what to do next. She'd only been training a very few days.

'It's intense,' she continued. 'I don't quite get it but I keep at it.'

'We've been here since six a.m,' Faith chimed in as she fought. My jaw dropped.

'Wow. Well I had just about gotten to sleep by that time.'

Faith smiled. 'Somethin' keep ya up?' As quippy as I think it was supposed to be, my smile fell from my face.

Silence. Grunting…fighting.

'Oh, I er…no.' I sucked in a nervous breath. 'Just…you know…'

I looked around the room, deciding not to focus so intently on their sparring anymore, because Faith might think I was looking at her body, and perhaps today she'd notice my eyes a little more, and where exactly they travelled _when_ looking at her.

I turned on my heel. Where was Giles? 'I'll be around, you guys don't need me,' I grabbed my bag and headed out, only to be stopped by Faith calling my name loudly, followed by a loud moan, and she blocked a punch from Will and shook her head, I think telling her to stop. I swallowed as I looked "blankly" towards her. 'You, me. Lunch. I need to…' She respired quickly as she used her finger to show a winding up motion.

I nodded. 'Okay. Will, you up for it?'

Faith closed her eyes and reached for her knees, and continued on correcting her breathing.

Willow shook her head. 'I have to meet someone who needs a bit of homework help. I said I would days ago so I can't back out now.' She shrugged and I silently thanked god that it would just be Faith and I, and Willow wouldn't be jealous.

'Faith already knew, she asked me this morning. About tonight's patrol, right? You can just call me later, right?' she said as she grabbed some water and her bag.

Faith nodded and made a "phew" sound as she stood up. 'Basically just meet at mine, at nine.'

Willow smiled warmly and looked out to nothing in particular. 'I'm pretty excited, patrolling for the first time…properly, fighting and stuff.' She "imagined" a few seconds more, then leaned towards Faith, and placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezed it a little. 'Thanks for training me, I really appreciate it,' her lips lingered on their instinctive expression as she walked past, and her voice, delivering those words…sounded as if she was…_hitting on Faith??!?!?_

I high-fived her as she walked past, and kept her hand in mine, and winked at Faith before turning and exiting with Will.

- - -

'So how'd you like my recruit?' she asked as we strolled along the grassy knoll, past various other students.

I nodded and smiled. 'I was the one who let her in. I wouldn't have if I didn't like her,' I said jokingly, and shrugged. 'She has…'

She placed a hand on my upper arm as if to stop me. 'No lemme, lemme, say it.' She inhaled a breath as if to get herself ready for a spelling bee. 'Potential. Think she _is_ one?'

I chuckled and shook my head slightly. 'I could've said it better.'

'But I said it first,' she said, pointing both indexes at me.

'I was born first,' I retorted as if to say, "I am just plain better."

She laughed. 'Oh, that isn't fair.'

We walked for a little in silence, just staring out, absorbing our surroundings. Until finally she spoke, and funnily enough, I opened my mouth to speak too. It came out, 'So for tonight's-oh…'

'About yesterday…errm…' I sighed and upturned a palm towards her.

I offer up my gift to share. Mine being the gift of silence. She smiled before continuing. 'It…doesn't matter. I think…what you wanted to say takes priority, right?' she said, looking at me, and I looked out ahead first, squinting my eyes from the blinding sun.

I chuckled timidly and played with my cuticles a little. 'Well…I was just gonna say…yesterday…night, was…'

'A game?' she finished…I think.

I nodded, my mouth presenting her with an "O" shape once again, my eyes immediately looking away, then a quick once-movement-of-the-head nod. 'A game,' I sighed out almost bashfully. We continued to walk in silence, then she sighed out loud.

'I just realised how you took that.' She chuckled short and moved her hair back behind her ears. It was glowing, and so was she. She reached out a hand to my upper arm to stop me walking, then moved it away. 'Listen, I'm…' I think she was searching for the right word to use because she was frowning and what not, making gestures with her hands. Sort of that circling motion again. This time with both hands. 'Greedy. I live by, three rules. Want. Take. Have. Simple as that. Then…' she shrugged and let her arms fall to her sides. 'I usually…discard. If it's at all possible,' she said, inhaling and raising her eyebrows as she did. She exhaled very slowly; I think a sign of a heartbreaking speech of how we would never be together because she didn't want me. 'It confused me, even more.'

'Faith, I-'

'No, I.' She raised a hand quickly to my lips to shush me, though quickly moved it away and her gaze fell. 'I'm selfish. And greedy. And I have no clue what I want.'

'Oh.'

She made a face as if to say "oops." I wanted the Hellmouth to open up and eat me. Of _course_ she didn't want me. How could I be so stupid to think a girl like her would want someone like me? She was straight. And until Faith, I thought I was too.

'I see.'

There was silence, and I didn't know whether to leave or stay. My eyes tried to search for the answer in the grass. Finally I walked away from her, at first just focussing on getting away, then, on running my fingers back through my hair, then…bringing that hand back down to my mouth…then…the tears. I strolled. I needn't hurry. It's not like she wanted to follow me.

She stayed back, a hand over her mouth, gingerly. Her eyes seemed sorry. 'Ninety nine, per cent of the time,' she said to herself. 'You're the one per cent of the part of me that knows what I want.'

- - -

Willow knocked on Faith's door and stood back, thinking I was already there. She waited a moment, then Faith opened the door. She seemed quite…dismissive of her being there. As if she had forgotten patrolling tonight.

Willow looked into the motel room for me, and looked back to Faith when she didn't see me. 'Where's Buffy?' she asked timidly, stake in hand, sense in the other. She stepped in after Faith nodded her head towards the inside of the room, and closed the door behind them.

'She couldn't make it.'

Willow turned to Faith and nodded, who seemed distressed. 'Oh. So it's just you and me, then?'

Silence.

'So we're not patrolling tonight, then?' she said, a little less enthusiastic than her voice previously was. She sunk down to the bed and put the stake down. 'I should've known.'

Faith's forehead creased. 'Should'a known what?'

She sighed. 'That you didn't want me there.'

Faith rolled her eyes and sat beside her on the bed. 'We love that you're with us now. Physically, I mean. I like…love, training with you, and you have amazing potential, which we established, and I personally can't wait until-'

'Am I a waste of time?' she asked, insecurely.

Faith looked into Willow's eyes. 'No, no, of course not, girlfriend.' Willow smiled upon Faith saying that. 'I want you to be with us. You know the three girls, we'll be a trio, you know. And then, the Bronze.'

'Really?' She seemed so hopeful, listening to Faith's previous lines. 'I…I actually like the Bronze, as much as it seems like I don't, I-I do…and when I saw, you and Buffy that night, I-I wanted to…to be you guys, you know?' she explained as she turned to face Faith a little more. 'Like…I wanna feel sexy, and wear…tight clothes and-and leather! Oh and fishnets! Because I like tights!'

Faith pressed a few fingers to Willow's lips to shush her, and Willow immediately let her eyelids drift over her eyes.

'I wanna…I want…' Faith removed her hand slowly, and watched Willow intently as her eyes remained closed and she dreamed. 'I want you to…to do…the things you do to her…'

Faith immediately pressed her lips to Willow's, not letting her speak anymore, though she had drifted off so much she guessed she probably wouldn't say anymore.

She reached a hand up to the dip of Willow's neck and rested it there, and used her fingers to lift her face a little more towards her own. She was gentle, sweet, careful. Possessed that same amount of passion and sweetness in the kiss that we had yesterday.

When she pulled away she ran that hand on her neck, down along her arm, and down to her hip, where she straddled it gently, as not to alarm her. She did not smile, though gazed, directly into Willow's green pools, and she gazed back into her own chocolate ones.

'What are you…?' Willow said, barely above a whisper.

Faith shook her head a little. 'Just trust me.'

'I…I've never…' Willow began.

'Neither have I.' Faith concluded, softly speaking, her hand still at her hip.

Willow replied with a timid nod, repeated a good few times, and Faith nodded also, as if trying to understand this.

She used her other hand to move up Willow's body, and at first ran her hand along her stomach, then up, along her breast, further up along her chest, then up to her chin, up to her lips, then up, to her hair, where she pulled her ponytail out and let her red hair fall around her shoulders.

Willow smiled timidly. 'I didn't think you knew.'

She shook her head either, looking at how Willow's hair was so neatly around her face, yet somehow sexy. 'I only just realised.' She moved in to kiss her again and this time Willow wrapped an arm around Faith's shoulder. She grasped the back of her neck in her hand and massaged it, ran her fingers along it, just touched it, and responded to the feel of it. And as Faith's tongue slipped so softly, gently into her mouth, she moaned, and frowned slightly, as if this was right but…

…But what about…me?

- - -

I sat up quickly, before shoving the sheets off me and hurrying out of bed. I had to throw up and I had to throw up _now_.

I watched the pretty contents of my stomach fall into the toilet, then sat back and let out an exhausted sigh. Then, after holding my stomach for a moment or too, I felt…moisture. Not…sweat… I lifted my top up, and saw…blood. I was bleeding. There was a HOLE in my stomach, bigger than a bullet wound, like someone had driven a barge pole through me, or a…a very…large…

I sat up rapidly, before throwing the covers off me and scurrying out of bed. I had to throw up, and I had to throw up NOW.

I winced as the contents of my stomach plopped into the toilet, and then stood back and leaned against the wall, keeping my tired eyes shut. I held my stomach…then paused…and breathed a moment. I had _just done this._ And my stomach…

God, I didn't wanna look at my stomach. I ran my fingers up along my stomach, it already turning from what I was sure I had just seen. I felt nothing. Nothing.

Nothing.

It was nothing. Just a dream.

I sighed and removed my hand, before turning to look in the mirror, but unfortunately, as I did, I saw blood on the floor. A pool of it. I lifted up my shirt quickly and there was a hole…cut out of my…it wouldn't stop bleeding…I was gonna bleed to…

I bolted up in bed, scared shitless at what I had just been through. My breathing was so surely the rate of a hyper ventilator, and I clutched the sheets as the contents of my stomach churned. I looked under the sheets, lifted up my shirt. My stomach was still there, no blood. Oh god. I was fine.

It was just a dream.

But I still needed to throw up. I pushed the sheets off my legs and hurried to the bathroom, where the contents of my stomach spilled into the bowl of the toilet. I clutched my stomach and breathed. When I opened my eyes I saw blood all over my hands. I yelped as I yanked up my shirt and my stomach was gone.

I opened my eyes and my hands gravitated to my stomach. I needed to be sick.

I moved at a quickened pace from my room to the bathroom and lifted up the toilet seat.

Wait.

I covered my mouth and lifted up my shirt. My stomach was fine. Though I couldn't hold the contents for very longer and watched as they fell into the toilet bowl.

I closed the toilet and sat on the lid. Just a freakin' dream.

My eyes were closed, and I rested my hands on my stomach. I moved to get up though slipped off the toilet seat onto the floor. I steadied myself, and pressed a hand down on the toilet seat to get me up, though I shoved myself away from the seat when I saw a pool of blood.

I lifted up my shirt, and for crying out loud-

- - -

'It's a re-occurring one,' I told Giles as he flicked over a page of an ancient book and held a mug of tea in his other hand.

'Sounds like it.'

'It was disgusting.'

'Literally. You're losing your stomach. And every time, you say you lost it?'

'Yes. I vomited and it came out through my mouth.'

He frowned, looking at me. I think it disturbed him. 'Then it was gone?'

'Like a "Death Becomes Her" montage. It didn't hurt, though.'

'It's a message,' he said, pointing to a line in the book. 'Jordipe's messages can by encrypted in the strangest of ways. From a normal, straightforward dream to a foreshadowing of events to come – a, a premonition. It is the way in which the interpreter depicts it, that it affects the nature of the events – the, consequences.'

I nodded. 'It was well and truly sick.'

He looked at me once again. 'For lack of a better term,' he said before taking another sip of his tea.

'Of, c-Yeah.' I nodded and shook my head all at the same time. We were in the library, and it was Friday afternoon. I hadn't seen, spoken to or heard about Faith in the past few days. I had only been thinking of her, apart from last night's…dream.

'Did you jot down every detail?' he asked me, as he bookmarked the page he had read from.

I nodded. 'I was gonna let you read it but I wanted to actually tell you.'

'Doesn't seem like something you'd want to do.'

'Yeah, I know, I guess I'm not one for spilling my guts to-' At that moment in strolled Willow, with an "Advanced Chemistry" book held close to her chest.

'Hey, Buffy, how's it going?' she said, the usual perky way she would. 'You don't look so hot,' she said, her mood falling a little upon seeing my facial expression. Traditional "Spilled Gutsian."

Wait. Hot? Did she just say, hot? Willow never says that.

'She's been going through some psychological…dream…maze,' Giles told her.

'And to top it off, I don't have the stomach for it.' I nodded and watched as she sat down in a chair around the table with us.

'Well how did you interpret the dream?' she asked, tentatively, caringly.

I shrugged. 'That whatever it was, I didn't have the stomach for it.'

She nodded. 'What exactly happened?' I slid the book to her and flipped it open to the dream, and sat back.

Giles looked from me, to Willow, to the book, to his book, to me, to Willow. To me. Then to Willow again.

- - -

I listened to the scuff of her shoes on the hardwood floor as she approached us all. It was obvious that she was in a good mood as she chimed in soon with the whole, 'How's it all hangin'?' question she always pops whenever she sees us together.

Giles opened his mouth to speak and Willow looked up as Faith spoke, a smile immediately coming to her face. She looked at me briefly, then back at the journal, and began speaking. 'Buffy had another dream.'

Faith smiled. 'Oh, what happened this time, did the big bad mean Pipe Guy barge pole you in your undies?' she said as she strutted to Willow and placed hands on either side of the table in front of her, and leaned extremely close to her ear as she looked at the book.

How could she do that? How could she just be there, and act like nothing had happened between us? It was eating me alive, every moment I saw her. Why would she want me? I was so stupid. But I still can't deal. And she's already forgotten.

Giles looked at Faith after taking a sip of his tea, and after a few seconds of eye contact, let out a chuckle. 'Yes, that would be the…abridged version, as it happens.' He rose him his chair and headed into his back office, to get more tea I think.

And I just watched her. How she chuckled as she so often did, and how her eyes skimmed each line…She was leaning in awfully close to Will, who…

I think my thoughts were confirmed as I watched her facial expression. She was enjoying the closeness. Her eyes were all adrift…fluttering almost closed…she'd forgotten about the dream.

So I was in competition.

Faith gasped as her eyes read over a line, and Will jumped and her eyes bolted open, and she glanced at me, then looked at the journal. 'What, what's up?'

Faith pointed to the line and I timidly leaned over, making it priority to avoid eye contact with her. After making such a fool out of myself I wasn't going to look her in the eye…ever again. If I didn't have to.

But that would be a hell of a challenge. I loved her eyes.

'"I ran my fingers up along my stomach, it already turning from what I was sure I had just seen. I felt nothing. Nothing. Nothing." So you were in sections?' She shifted her weight onto one foot and looked straight at me. So did Willow, seemingly timid...a lot more than Faith.

I glanced at Willow, then at Faith, then looked at my upturned palms resting in my lap. 'Yeah…' I shrugged. What did it matter. It was reality for me right now.

Faith scoffed. 'That's so freakin' nasty. So…what did it feel like, all…excruciating pain and…blood and guts-'

I raised my eyebrows and jumped a little at Giles closing his office door and returning with a fresh cup of hot tea and a few more books. She looked up at him too, and Willow also.

I broke the silence and stuttered a little. 'It was a dream. But it felt real. No pain.' I drew in a long breath and broke my promise. I stared right into her eyes, noticing Willow was looking at the journal. Faith looked at me and I think she understood me completely. For once.

'Oh. That's…nice.' She tore her gaze away from mine and sat on a chair beside Willow's, and almost immediately started playing with the tassles on her shirt.

She used to play with various items of clothing I had. If not clothes, then my accessories. I missed that and watching her play with Will's shirt was an athame to my heart.

'I have some dream interpretation books, I think it might be useful to look at them. Here…' He slid one to me, then one to Willow and Faith and he set one on the desk in front of himself.

'I think it could be a premonition,' Faith mused, then shrugged, and I looked up at her briefly.

'Thanks, Faith,' I said, I think very tired in the not bothered kind of way.

She clucked her tongue and flipped a couple of pages, her eyes intent on finding something on the pages before her. 'No probs.'

I watched Will slide her chair a little closer to Faith's, and then lean forward towards her, to take a "closer" look at the book. Faith didn't really react to that, although a few moments later she seemed startled and looked at Will, then smiled. Warmly.

My eyes were on them all the time. I couldn't really understand what had just happened but I was pretty sure Willow was hitting on her. I pushed my chair back a little, pretending to pull the book into my lap, and looked under the table where, alas! Willow's hand was on…Faith's…no…

They were holding hands? No…oh no…just Willow's hand on her thigh. Faith's thigh. Wait…Her hand was on Faith's thigh and she was LIKING IT?!

I cleared my throat and frowned, shook my head a little and pretended to be turning a page (which I actually did), and to my _surprise_ they jumped and Will sat back a little, away from Faith.

So that's why she didn't want me. She wanted to be with Willow.

Oh.

I felt like hitting her over the head with my small, smelly brown book and crying at her, because she made me fall in love with her and then…kissed me, then told me she didn't want me…the next day. How rotten. No. that would be this book.

I raised my fingers to my nose and sniffed them slightly. They smelled of the book. I lifted the book to my nose and sniffed it, and as I looked up to think about what the smell was like I realised there were three pairs of eyes on me.

I let the book back into my lap, slowly, and smiled coyly. 'Mouldy book.'

Willow and Faith both nodded (in unison I might add) and Giles took a sip of his tea. I have to say that the slurping noise he made was less annoying than WILLOW'S HAND ON FAITH'S LEG!!! I bet they were playing footsy as well. Damn it. I was so jealous. The one person I thought no one else (out of us) would want and everyone wants her. First Xander…now Willow. Not Giles. I hope.

This was frustrating me. I had to get away from them. 'I've gotta go, actually,' I told them out of nowhere and closed the book with my left hand, then leaned forward and grabbed my journal with the right. I picked up my bag and slipped the books in and got up, headed for the door.

'Wait, Buffy, where are you going?' Will asked sweetly, smiling a little. As if nothing was wrong. I couldn't hate her.

'Class.' I continued walking and listened to my annoying heels on the floor, and the squeak of my leather jacket against my bag. The only comfortable item of clothing I was wearing was a black skirt. That I had borrowed from Faith.

I heard shuffling. 'I guess I better go too. Don't we have Literature first?' she called to me as I walked. I slowed and reached a hand out to the counter beside me.

'I don't care…' I trailed off, shaking my head a little, then quickened my pace and pushed the library door in front of me, headed out.

Willow frowned a moment, I think a little surprised at my attitude. She looked to Faith and shrugged. 'I'm free at lunch.'

Faith got up from her chair. 'Well, I'm…'

'No training today, girls?' Giles asked as he removed his glasses from his face and grabbed a handkerchief from his pocket to cleanse his lenses.

Faith nodded. 'After school?' Willow nodded in response, feeling satisfied at the decision.

'And…before I forget, what happened with last night's patrol?'

Faith and Willow looked at each other, then at Giles. 'Er…the usual,' Will said quickly, perky. She moved out of her chair, as did Faith, and began leaving, Faith pretty much by her side.

'See you soon, Giles,' Willow said softly, her voice echoing through the library. Faith waved at Giles and grinned before catching up with Will and grabbing one of her hands, and sliding a finger into her mouth so solemnly.

Willow laughed, vicariously…and Faith followed suit. 'So…' she began as they left the library. 'What did you think?'

'Of last night?' Willow asked, as Faith returned her hand to her. She looked out ahead of her. 'Amazing.'

Faith leant her head on her shoulder for a moment and whispered, 'I think it was so much more than that.' She moved away and flashed a grin at her, and Willow rolled her eyes.

'So, do you think Buffy knows?' Will asked, slowing a little until finally reaching her locker. Faith leant up against the neighbouring locker and cocked her head to the side a little.

'About…?' She made a hand gesture as if to say "between us." 'I dunno, I don't think so. Why should she?'

'I think she really likes you, you know,' Will said as she reached for her brush and ran it through her hair a couple of times.

Faith watched her a peaceful moment, her features softening at the sight before her. 'No. You know Buffy's only into guys, she wouldn't look at me twice.'

Willow nodded. 'Well I thought she was open-minded.' She shut her locker, having reached for a couple of books and a pencil case. They resumed walking and Faith watched her feet.

'Even if she was…she'd never look at me twice.'

'How do you know she didn't?' she mused.

Faith shrugged, moving her hands into her pockets. 'I don't.'

Willow sighed out. 'Everyone looks, you know.' Faith glanced sideways at her and Will returned that. 'Well, it's true. I've looked at…Buffy. Xander…he…I've looked at…you…and…' A soft laugh escaped her lips.

'When did you realise?'

They had walked out into the open front of the school and the sunlight was strong. Faith squinted as she looked sideways to Willow.

'I guess some part of me always knew.'

Faith nodded understandingly. 'Right.'

Willow asked the same question. 'When did you?'

Faith rolled her head a little. 'I just…I'm greedy. I'm up for anything you know?' They stopped walking and Faith looked right into her emerald eyes. 'I want, I take…then I have…and you…' she told her, beginning to move closer in to her now. 'You…are the one, I want…' She pressed her lips momentarily to Willow's, and Willow moved in to the kiss.

I couldn't believe what my eyes were telling me. I had told myself to go that way to avoid bumping into Faith but it just so happens, there she is. With my best friend. Her and Willow. Lips locked…

I didn't realise my jaw was open until they moved apart. I turned on my heel and headed in the opposite direction, forcing myself not to cry.


	8. Blind Train Me and You'll See, Pt 1

**Title: **Maybe, Just Maybe  
**Disclaimer: **Please don't; purely for entertainment, creators of 'Buffy'. The characters I created are mine. So steal my idea, or 'borrow' without my permission, and I will be the one to sue.  
**Pairings:**Buffy/Faith  
**Note:**Around Season 3, before 'Bad Girls,' and just so you know, I'm rough on my viewings of S3 so if I get things wrong please let me know. **Still** not sure if 'Bad Girls' will happen. Not sure yet. We'll see as it unfolds.  
**Feedback: **Always, Thank You =)   
**Rating: **R

Special Note: Thanks for being so open-minded about the last chapter, but I wasn't gonna tell anyone how it ended up in fear of well..this! So read on and see what happens, and I assure you, you will not be disappointed. You will all go 'ohhhhh.' LOL. Thanks for reading.

* * *

Chapter 7 

'So how come you didn't show?' Willow asked as she twiddled her pencil between her fingers. She watched it, waiting for my reply.

I wasn't even listening. All I could see in my mind was them…together…and me…they didn't even notice me. I wasn't that far away.

'Buffy?' she asked, looking up at me. I was sitting at the desk beside her, head in my hands, elbow on the desk. 'Are you there?' she whispered gently, and reached a hand out to touch my arm a little. I looked down at it, then up at her.

'Sorry?' I said, trying to sound perky, though failing badly.

'I just…wondered about last night…patrol, how come you didn't come?'

I looked into her eyes for a moment, as if I hadn't realised she'd finished asking her question. She craned her neck towards me and raised her eyebrows as if to say "Hello?"

'Oh…erm…' I frowned a little, and looked down at the pencil between her fingers…in that same hand that- 'I-I wasn't feeling too great. I…had…' I paused, trailed off. 'A…thing.'

Willow nodded slightly, searching me as if I wasn't telling the truth. 'Has it gone now?'

I nodded. 'Sure.' I looked immediately down into my books, which were all closed…then out of the window. I couldn't face her right now. Knowing that they…my best friend and Faith. Anyone but Will, I would have been able to handle. But this.

Willow nodded once again and pressed her lips together. 'We ended up not going, cos we thought, why bother, if you didn't wanna come, and…like…my first proper patrolling we figured maybe it would be best if we were all there, like…all three of us.'

I hadn't listened to any of what she'd just said. It was only when she tapped me on the shoulder again that I turned to look at her, my face blank, hers, confused. 'Are you okay, Buffy? You don't seem too…normal, for you. Today.' She took a breath. I hadn't expected to say anything so I didn't mind when she continued. 'Is it the dream? It seemed pretty nasty, I mean…re-occurring, nasty hole-in-stomach-ness doesn't seem too attractive or…appealing…' She thought for a second and I continued to watch her. 'Is it not that? Is it me?'

I shook my head. 'Er, no, it's not you, Will. It's me.' The bell rung and I picked up my books.

Willow did the same and we both got up and exited the room. 'I'm gonna meet Faith now, are you gonna come? We're just going for lunch.'

I thought for a moment. I used to go with Faith to lunch everyday. 'Maybe,' I said as I offered a small smile. I guess it was too late to say "no" anyways, cos she had surprised us from behind…well, Willow, and grabbed her waist. She jumped and turned round, and they both laughed. I chewed on the inside of my mouth a little as I looked ahead at the moving bodies filling the corridors.

'That was most probably the most boring morning of my life,' she started as we resumed walking. 'You know what I did?'

'Nuh uh, what?' Will asked gently as Faith walked on the side other side her, Will in the middle, me on the other side.

'I couldn't sleep thinkin' about…stuff, so I was all walkin' around thinkin' of things to do, and I went back to the library and started reading about this demon-thing. I wished I hadn't cos I asked G this ONE question and he went on for HOURS, I seriously didn't think he'd ever stop. The only time he DID stop, it was to clean his glasses.'

Will laughed a little and we stopped as we reached our lockers. I dumped my stuff in and waited for Willow to as well, whilst Faith pulled her hair out and then pulled it back into a neater ponytail. 'Well you know Giles, he loves his material.'

She closed her locker and sighed. 'You wanna come, Buffy?' Faith looked at me like _I _was the new girl and my eyes darted between the two.

'Actually…I…better, go see Giles and see if he know anything about the…dream…thing,' I said pretty quickly and before I knew it I had turned my back on the two and headed in the opposite direction.

Faith raised her eyebrows and Will shrugged. 'She's been acting a little weird today. I think it's the dream. Spooked her out.'

- - -

I lied to them but most of me didn't care. I just had to get away from both of them. Even Giles. Away from this, stupid school. I broke into a semi-jog as I exited the school gates. Back to my house. Away from all of them. I just had to get away.

It was eating me alive. This feeling, that I had. For Faith. I didn't realise how jealous I would've been if she had been with someone else. Willow in particular. But it hurt. And it hurt more than any pain I'd ever experienced. My heart was aching.

That night, me and her and the box of chocolates were a big fat joke to her. Maybe she wanted to make me want her even more so she could laugh at me behind my back at how pathetic I was. Probably.

And now Willow. She was having it off with my best friend. I still had that morning playing over and over through my mind.

I burst through my front door and hurried upstairs, into my bedroom. I slammed my door shut behind me and went to my bed. By now my mascara had left long lines of black moisture along the length of my face. I lay down on the comforter and cried into the pillow underneath my stupid head.

- - -

'I really don't know, she just said it was her,' Will said as they strolled along the road.

Faith moved her hands into her pockets and sighed. 'She's hardly said two words to me today,' she said thoughtfully. She actually sounded hurt.

'Oh, right.' They walked for a moment in silence. 'Come to think of it…do you remember, that morning, we trained?'

- - -

As I walked down each wooden, dilapidated step, I felt as if I truly was letting it take the weight of myself upon it, everything I had, every strength, every bit of power I thought I might possess. The scuff of my shoes was apparent on the concrete floor, and as I thought I might be listening to that, I didn't. Instead I listened to every little bit of my conscience. My pounding heart. My heavy but somehow immaculately silent breathing. The tears cries from behind my eyes just dying to escape through the tiny little gateways of my eyes.

As I walked to what I approximated as the middle of the floor, I lifted the thin long piece of material and wrapped around my pre-dominant sense of sight. I firmly created a knot at the middle of the back of my head, letting my lips depart a little, letting my breathing become heard.

I let my arms fall to my sides, and I swallowed. Then inhaled. Long, and slow. I was the only essence in the room right now. Just me. Me, my conscience…and my power.

I inhaled, long and slow, and raised my arm into a first position of…one of many routines and training procedures I had practiced. Though I had decided to attempt to do something of my own. Move through my own instincts and respond to whatever instinctive feelings I had experienced.

Although something was…strange. Unfamiliar. In that…I believed I was alone in the room. I couldn't hear breathing, or movement. I could just sense.

Her.

I blocked what I thought was an arm from hitting my face immediately, and the only reason I moved my arm was because my instincts told me to block my face. The arm never came into contact with me, but I could sense it.

It was hers.

The palm of her hand soon collaborated with my stomach and I moved back slightly…I pulled the material off my eyes and scoffed. 'Alright, enou-'

There was nothing there.

But I swear I didn't imagine that hand.

I paced the room a moment, looking around every corner, up the stairs, at the window. No sign of anyone.

I sighed and replaced the blindfold over my eyes, began again. Except…this time…I could feel that energy, more than before. Connecting with me at this time.

I decided not to go against it, just…work with my instincts. And it was amazing.

I extended an arm in front of me, with my hand outstretched, as if to hit whatever energy was before me. I felt something block it. I hooked my free hand down, round in front of my body and up, and I think the energy was hit…as if it would have been, in the chin. I took a few steps forward, containing a blocking stance, before realising I had lost it's closeness.

I turned my head to the side, as if I was looking over my shoulder, and outstretched an arm sideways, as if to hit the energy in the stomach, followed by a punch with my right arm, coming round my body, to where my left arm had previously been.

There was nothing there, but this energy. And although there was no real being there, I believed this energy was her.

It was as if we were training before. Just…an added element I had decided might make it a little more interesting. I moved back a step, before turning and arching my leg up into an outer crescent kick.

It all happened in what seemed as if it was slow motion.

The energy made a sound. I tore the blindfold off and looked around the room. 'Alright, what's…?' I know I gave off a confused expression, I could feel it. It's what I was. Confused. I couldn't understand what the hell had just happened.

I took a deep breath, and put the blindfold back on. I resumed a "first position" and forced a forward punch in front of me, followed by a sideways hook with my left hand. I turned on my left heel and forced out a middle kick, letting out a small grunt at the lack of contact forcing my weight forwards. Normally I would be able to keep that weight between my feet and move back into the previous position.

I wasn't focussing enough.

I resumed a blocking stance and inhaled deeply.

Then I heard it. Footsteps…scuffling…the breathing…I started to sense…her presence. Her real…presence.

I listened, just standing. Waiting.

Then I heard a voice. Her voice. 'Now you can't see me…I can't see you…let's do this.' It was raspy as it always was. As if she'd just had a cigarette in her mouth. I didn't mind but I'm sure her voice wasn't naturally that way.

I didn't believe that she was as blindfolded as me. But I inhaled and began anyway. And it was as perfect as I had imagined, behind the blindfold, behind my eyelids…in my imagination.

Just us. Fighting using four senses, not five. Not sight. It wasn't needed.

Sound. Her breathing, her movements, I could hear them from the direction they came from. Even if the diverse sounds were less than inches apart.

I had to be cautious.

Touch. Each time she hit me, or I hit her, I could just know, what was coming next. As if I knew the future of every muscle movement. Everything that would be coming next.

Taste. I could taste her skill. With every inch of my very own pink tongue. It didn't matter that I couldn't see her. I could taste this talent.

Smell…I could smell everything she had planned. All of it.

And yet we fought. It must've been, ten…fifteen minutes of falling, of hurting of hitting of screaming. Perhaps the way I wanted her was finally getting to her.

Finally I slapped her, backhanded her with my right hand, and I jumped back, tore the blindfold off my eyes and hurried to her. 'Faith, no…I didn't…'

She was just as I imagined. Very nearly face down on the ground, only her hands supporting her as her feet gave from the intense push of my action.

And she had a blindfold. Although now it was in her floored hand.

I took her hand in mine, that had moved to grasp the spot of pain. 'It wasn't about fighting,' I whispered, my hand upon hers, that was upon her red cheek.

At first she was just panting. Catching her breath, looking over at that little thing over there on the ground. I didn't know what. Then her eyes gravitated to mine. That's right. Gravitated. My gaze upon her made her look at me.

'Who said it was?' she said through many breaths, her forehead ever so slightly creased.

'No…I don't mean that…' She moved into a more comfortable position, crouching down as to get all her weight off her other hand.

'Then, what? You can't physically push me away so you do it mentally instead?'

My eyes opened wider. 'What? Push you away? I don't understa-'

'Why don't you want me?' she said, her voice sounding as if it were about to crack…as if…_I_…had hurt her.


	9. Blind Train Me and You'll See, Pt 2

**Title: **Maybe, Just Maybe  
**Disclaimer: **Please don't; purely for entertainment, creators of 'Buffy'. The characters I created are mine. So steal my idea, or 'borrow' without my permission, and I will be the one to sue.  
**Pairings:**Buffy/Faith  
**Note:**Around Season 3, before 'Bad Girls,' and just so you know, I'm rough on my viewings of S3 so if I get things wrong please let me know. **Still** not sure if 'Bad Girls' will happen. Not sure yet. We'll see as it unfolds.  
**Feedback: **Always =)   
**Rating: **R

Special Note: Thanks for being so patient with the way the fic went. I hop eyou enjoy it. I especially didn't say what would happen because I wanted to keep it a secret to see if you would like it. Thanks for reading (if you're still interested!!! lol!). Remember to tell me if it sucks or not! I will appreciate any comment!

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Chapter 8 

I backed away. 'Why don't I want you?' I raised my eyebrows. I could feel tears threatening to challenge each other for who could reach my chin the fastest.

She got up and moved from foot to foot a little. 'Yeah,' she said after breathing a little.

I turned my back on her, beginning to walk away, and let out a rush of air through my mouth, dumbfounded at her words. 'Faith…you…' I turned back to face her. I was about to yell some full blown speech about how she was with my best friend and how I was not the one with the lack of wanting.

But I couldn't. Because she…'C'mere,' I said, and she immediately did. I moved my hand up to her face, to wipe away the tears there, and her cheek moved into the palm of my hand, and her eyes threatened to close. I pursed my lips as I wiped the tears from her eyes, then ran the back of my index finger along her reddened cheek. Where I had hit her. Really hard. 'Faith…I never…'

'It's okay. I understand.' She took a breath and I moved my hand away. She shook her head, as if she was mad at herself. 'Shouldn't have said anything.' She frowned and I looked up at her.

'No, Faith, it's okay.'

'No, B it's not. The other day, I blew you off and I didn't mean for everything I said to come out the way it did. But it did, and I can't change that NOW.' She had tried to explain herself and done it well. I felt as if I should jump her right now, as my inward notions of excitement danced around in my stomach, of all places. 'I blew it. That's it,' she muttered as she did something with her lips, licked over them, pulled them into her mouth. Nervousness. Maybe?

I let out a little noise before pulling her over to the steps. I sat down and she sat beside me, on the same step. I turned to face her and she, me.

'Faith. I've…you know, I…was upset that day, because…well…I honestly, wanted you to say that that night was wonderful. But you didn't and I felt like crap for getting my hopes up, which…' Her face had lid up. '…Which I thought would make me feel stupid for making such a big deal out of it. Faith, I'm a Slayer. You're a Slayer. We're Slayers. We're girls, who-'

'Girls, right. We shouldn't be together. Of course. Stupid me.'

'No, Faith, what I'm trying to say is…we are the Slayers. You and me. We have a connection. A physical…mental…and I'm hoping an emotional connection. I thought that you got me, and I thought I got you, but when all that happened and then you said you didn't know what you wanted I felt so stupid for thinking that that was the way that it worked.'

She sighed loud and rubbed her temples for a second. 'I'm such a screw up.'

'No, you're not, Faith. You're a very talented, very special…very _sexy_ Slayer.'

'No, you know what, B?' she said as she shuffled a little in her position. 'There was one per cent of me that knew what I wanted. And even though it's just one per cent…I knew I wanted to be…' She nudged me a little. She didn't need to say the words.

'You're lying.'

She sniffled. 'Does it look like I'm lying?' she said, releasing a little laugh at the same time.

'So…you planned that, thing?' I asked gently, as not to coax her from looking down into the palms of her hands.

She looked up at me anyway. 'The chocolate?' I nodded and she followed suit. 'Just a little bit, yeah.'

'I thought you were…' I started, hoping she'd catch on.

Faith shook her head. 'Well…I did too. Then there was…stuff…I met…a person…'

I sighed. I knew what was coming next. I raised an eyebrow for a second and cocked my head to the side as I ran my fingers along the creases in the palm of my hand. 'Yeah, I know…about that.' I looked down as to avoid her eyes and she moved.

'Really? Because that makes it a lot easier. I mean I thought "no way can ONE girl turn you," but meeting you was like a _whole_ new…' I raised a hand to her arm and rested it there a moment, looking into her eyes. She looked as if she'd been caught off guard. '…Thing for me.'

'Meeting me?' I repeated, slowly, carefully. Just to clarify.

Her eyebrows, which didn't seem frowned, released as I said those words. She nodded timidly and I immediately moved in to kiss her. Whether or not she was ready for it, I didn't care. I just had to kiss her right now. Any thoughts about Willow and Faith had been pushed to the back of my mind. Right now, I just wanted to bask in the brilliance of me. And her.

I pulled away. 'No, no, I can't do this,' I told myself and moved away.

She sighed and dropped her hands in her lap.

'It's just…you and Willow, and she's my best friend and as much as I like you I can't do this to her, and I mean, it's Will I couldn't hurt her like…' She put a hand up to me.

'Whoa, whoa, whoa…WHAT?!' She shook her head a little and opened her eyes, looking to me as if I'd just told her she was in fact born with five feet.

'You and Willow.'

She raised her eyebrows. 'Me and Red?' she said, then frowned a little. 'What are you talkin' about?'

'Don't fool with me, I saw you guys kissing outside the-' I said, pointing behind my shoulder with my thumb.

By this point she had sat back, nodded her head a good few times. 'Willow needed some of my help.'

I screwed up my face and moved back a little. 'What?'

She chuckled. 'The night we were all supposed to go patrolling, and you didn't show?' She licked over her lips and I nodded. 'She stayed at my place for a while, kinda…asked for some lessons. Said she er…wanted me to do…' she continued as she started looking at my hair. 'I erm…she wanted to learn how to be more…like…me…and I just thought I'd give her a little guidance. She said she needed confidence.'

'So you get together?'

'Not exactly. I don't mean I wanted her to look like the school le…uhm…well it's complicated. She needed some help and I did exactly that.'

- - -

'What are you…?' Willow said, barely above a whisper.

Faith shook her head a little. 'Just trust me.'

'I…I've never…' Willow began.

'Neither have I.' Faith concluded, softly speaking, her hand still at her hip.

Willow replied with a timid nod, repeated a good few times, and Faith nodded also, as if trying to understand this.

She used her other hand to move up Willow's body, and at first ran her hand along her stomach, then up, along her breast, further up along her chest, then up to her chin, up to her lips, then up, to her hair, where she pulled her ponytail out and let her red hair fall around her shoulders.

Willow smiled timidly. 'I didn't think you knew.'

She shook her head either, looking at how Willow's hair was so neatly around her face, yet somehow sexy. 'I only just realised.' She moved in to kiss her again and this time Willow wrapped an arm around Faith's shoulder. She grasped the back of her neck in her hand and massaged it, ran her fingers along it, just touched it, and responded to the feel of it. And as Faith's tongue slipped so softly, gently into her mouth, she moaned, and frowned slightly, as if this was right. She pulled away and smiled. 'You're doing nothing wrong.'

She rose from the bed and moved to the counter, to re-apply her lipstick. She turned to face Willow, who had huffed and moved further into the bed. 'But…I just…I get so…'

'Don't tell me you're scared.'

She shrugged and looked at her putting down the lipstick on the counter.

'Want some lessons?'

Willow paused in thought. 'What kinda lessons? Like how to be like you…and Buffy to get a guy like Angel…or…'

'Okay I said lessons. The rest is up to you. But in truth it's not in how good you kiss – oh, good…by the way – or what you do when you kiss – oh, also…_very_ nice with the neck thing, that was a sure juicer – I think it's the way you _are _like…with confidence.'

'Oh.'

'I'm gonna think of a couple of activities for the next few days, like…things that might take you by surprise and you have to play along with them, as if…well…you'll see.'

Willow nodded and got up. 'Like, what?'

Faith scrunched up her mouth a moment. 'I dunno yet.'

'Oh. Okay. Well I guess I better…split, huh?' She gave Faith a look as if to say "I can use cool vocabulary" and Faith raised an eyebrow for a moment.

'Okay, I'll see you tomorrow…oh but first…' She got up off of the bed and grabbed her leather mini. 'Wanna go to the Bronze?' She licked over her lips and raised her eyebrows. 'Just to…let off some juice.'

Willow smiled. 'Oh, but I don't have anything to…' She realised as Faith waved the leather in her face.

- - -

'Alright, but how do you explain outside the school?' I asked as we walked into the kitchen, her slightly behind me.

'I was teaching her some confidence. Girl needed to learn how to "not care" about what the people around her thought. Otherwise she wouldn't be able to get on with her job, if she's coming on patrol with us. You know how it is, she gets all nervous around people.'

I frowned a little as she passed me and sat on one of the kitchen stools. 'Yeah, but…'

'I can't believe you actually, thought we were…' She made an eyebrow thing and her eyes darted around a little as she searched for her word. Or…didn't.

'Yeah, I know, I guess I just…' I felt silly. No I didn't. What about the leg? 'No, cos in the library she was touching your leg and you didn't do anything about it. You _liked_ it.'

Faith shrugged. 'Of course I liked it, she's a hot girl touching my leg.' She chuckled a little and one side of my mouth tugged up into a smile. I folded my arms across my chest.

'I feel so stupid,' I said softly, looking down into the space between us, though I shut up fast as she reached both arms out to me and pulled me in close to her. She departed her legs and I stepped in.

'Ey.' She shook her head. 'Don't.' I loved how she just about pronounced the "t" on the end of that don't. Like a scratchy, "bitchy" type of don't, that could also be seen as a "fed up and tired" don't.

'But I was-'

'I'm serious, I'm the one that should be feeling stupid.'

Silence. I was just watching how her eyes were so pure, so sincere at that moment. She was filled with a newer light that I hadn't seen in her before. Ever. I hadn't thought to look there. Even with that kiss, days ago. How gentle she was. It didn't occur to me that she was full of thoughtfulness and sincerity that was really making her a gentle being inside. How could she let me see this now? How did I know this from just looking into her eyes? Was it because she _let_ me see?

'You can be, _so_ amazing, do you know that?' I said, chuckling out a breath as I said 'amazing,' my throat constricting due to tears that I think were about to challenge ME. I shook my head a little as I looked at her, and she looked right back at me. At me.

I unfolded my arms and wrapped them very slowly, very carefully around her, as if scared that she could turn any moment, change her mind. Although when I leant my head upon hers, I felt her arms moving to the small off my back, beginning to embrace me. So she really _did_ want me.


	10. Every Single Part of Her

**Title: **Maybe, Just Maybe  
**Disclaimer: **Please don't; purely for entertainment, creators of 'Buffy'. The characters I created are mine. So steal my idea, or 'borrow' without my permission, and I will be the one to sue.  
**Pairings:**Buffy/Faith (Yes it really is Buffy/Faith this time!)  
**Feedback: **Always, please tell me everything you think =)   
**Rating: **R for adult scenes

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Chapter 9 

As much as I would have wanted to remember every single moment from now until what I imagined would be tomorrow morning, these moments were a blur for me.

First it was the kissing. Slow as it was before. She leant her head up towards mine and I leant into her, her warm embrace more inviting than it had been just a few minutes ago.

Her gorgeous warm lips pressed against mine…parched. That's what I was. Thirsty. For her. And to think, all this time she really did want me.

There was something so comforting in the way her hands straddled my waist that I didn't wanna move from her touch ever again.

This time it was her tongue that begun exploring my mouth, carefully…I think perhaps this time she _was _nervous. I slid a hand gently, down her back round to where one of hers was on my waist as we kissed, and entangled five of my fingers within five of her own. I pulled back first, inwardly growling at myself for ending the kiss. I looked into her eyes, scared for a split second that she might be tricking me once again.

I moved back further, our fingers remaining together. 'Come on,' I told her, just slightly above a whisper. I smiled a little, and the glow in her eyes told me she would follow.

She did just that. I could feel her eyes, for the first time, openly willingly on me, as I climbed the stairs, one by one, with her just a step behind me.

She knew exactly where we were going. And I couldn't wait any longer to be there.

The moment she set foot inside my room she pulled me back to her, this time almost greedily forcing her lips against mine, causing me to release a slight whimper.

I pulled back just once more, letting her feel how it ached to be deprived of the touch I longed for, for so long. I pulled her over to my bed and sat down, looked up at her with almost innocent eyes.

She looked down at me, this wonderful Goddess, a whirl of emotions that had finally come out to me, the one she wanted them to. And for once I could see it all in her eyes. The hurt, the anger, the pain. The frustration.

The love.

She stepped in towards me and I gripped the comforter beneath to push myself further in towards the bed. Soon she had come to kneel down onto the bed, and sit in front of me, the entire time our eyes searching deep within one another for something I had no idea she'd had until today.

She moved in towards me, gingerly, almost scared, I think. I intended to be non-responsive at first, just waiting, waiting, and waiting, until she was so close that like before, I could feel her breath upon my skin, and the sensation I would get from that. The tingling. Oh, the tingling.

I let my eyelids fall closed, and my lips depart, as she moved a hand to push back a stray hair. I think I felt her eyes watching it as she pushed it back behind my ear, and as she retreated her words were somewhat scorching. 'I'm…I'm scared,' she said through a timid exhalation, and I frowned a little, let my eyes open and looked into the chocolate whirls that were her eyes. So deep, so intense. Filled with so many emotions I had never realised were there before.

I could see what she meant, immediately. I couldn't make fun of this, because…I could _see_ what she meant. I could see what she meant because…I felt exactly the same. Every…motion, every look…every breath.

I turned to face her even more. 'Faith, I know.'

'No…' she began. She seemed…almost tired. Fed up. She pulled her hair out of it's tie-back and I felt just that little bit more aroused at watching how it fell down around her face. She ran her fingers back through it and looked down, at the tie back in between her fingers. 'This is…important to me. Like…I've never…I've never…' She trailed off each time, looking down throughout.

I moved a hand to her chin, and used my index to move it up slightly, to make her look at me. 'Listen,' I began gently. 'It's alright. I know what you're feeling, because, I feel it too.'

I think I could see tears welling up in her eyes, and the anxiety behind them at that. 'It's…not that,' she said, still, sounding breathily frustrated. She tore her gaze away from mine and looked at the space in front of us, towards the end of the bed. 'I just…' She took in a breath and I moved my hand to her arm, stroked upon it lightly. Just to let her know she could take her time and I wouldn't rush her. 'I just…I wanna…' she continued, and looked back to me, her eyes still scared. More scared than I had ever seen them. 'Love…you.'

I felt my eyebrows un-crease, having no recollection of them being creased to begin with. I couldn't believe how calm I was with this at first; then I realised…_I _was the one being calm, being… 'What?' I asked her lightly, leaning towards her slightly.

She smiled a little and shook her head. 'It doesn't matter-'

'No, Faith,' I said, gripping her hand a little and I think for the first time I really did feel as if I was the stronger Slayer. The one…in control. 'It matters.' I shuffled a little and moved my legs into a more comfortable position, closer to her. 'It _does_ matter.' I paused, looking into her eyes still. 'Of course it matters.'

'But I'm such a screw up, I don't wanna hurt-'

'Shh,' I began, pressing a finger lightly to her lips. I saw a tear begin to tumble down her cheek and I immediately moved in to catch it with my lips. I let them linger there a moment longer, before retreating. 'Faith,' I whispered, my lips still mere centimetres from her face.

I sensed her eyes were at her hands again, and she hummed a little, I think trying to keep herself from crying.

'I wanna love you,' I said, still there, beside her cheek, my eyes almost zoned out. I moved back a little, and saw her eyes move up to meet mine, followed by her offering the most timid smile I'd ever seen her offer. I replied with a gentle nod, feeling tears begin to well up in my eyes too.

She moved in to me and embraced me, laid her chin upon my shoulder, then kissed the skin there. I felt her arms wrapping around me tight, as if she had waited for a hug from someone for too long, and this was finally it. I wrapped my arms around her shoulders, her hair at them, my fingers in them. I inhaled long, just…absorbing this moment, her scent. Everything around me was perfect. Just for one moment. For once, the silence was a good thing. I liked it. Although a part of me was nervous at what she would say next.

Perhaps now would be the right time for me to tell her everything. I opened my mouth to speak, just exhaling first, hesitating second. 'I love you,' I whispered, and feared my words were inaudible.

Then she was really crying.

I pulled back, and looked at her. 'Why are you so sad?' I asked her, my voice so quiet, barely above a whisper.

She shook her head slow. 'No one's ever said that to me before.'

I inhaled slow, feeling a little awkward. I did love her, but…I had no idea.

I sat for a moment, just watching this wonderful woman break down before me. Then I finally gathered my senses and spoke. 'Do…do you want me to hold you?' I asked, fearing my voice was too innocent.

She looked up at me, right into my eyes, and I was scared again. My stomach did flips as she watched me watching her, then finally, she nodded.

I nodded in my mind and pressed down on the bed at first, rearranging my legs so that they embraced hers, then, my body. I slipped my arms ever so slowly around her, taking note of every curve I had never touched before. I laid my forehead against hers a moment. 'Hey,' I said, gently, with a smile.

She sniffled a little and looked into my eyes one more time.

'I do, you know.' I licked over my lips and planted a slow, long kiss upon her forehead. 'Love you…I mean.' I wrapped my arms tighter around her, my gaze ahead of me, toward the door. I warm smile came to my lips and I let my eyelids fall closed.

And all I saw was her.

Faith.

- - -

I think this time it was Faith who was scared of what would happen between us next. I awoke to the sound of nothing. Just pure nothing. No…clock ticking, no owls cooing, nothing. It was still dark.

I listened to the screeching of the sheets as I moved across them and out of bed. It seemed as if we had both fallen asleep, although how and when were both escaped facts from my mind.

I walked careful steps along the upstairs hall, then step by step, downstairs. My eyes were open enough to check out every corner of the room I was in, every little piece of furniture.

I can't explain why I was so alert. But I just was. I held the wall as I walked around it, into the dining room. And there she was. Sitting. Up. At the table. Her elbows on the table, her arms, her hands supporting her chin. She had entangled her fingers in one another, leant her chin on them and was looking directly ahead of her, as I could see from this sideways view. I don't know what she was thinking about. All I can say is that it must've been intense.

I paused in my tracks and folded my arms beneath one another, inhaled and leant against the wall. She didn't notice me fore a good minute, at least. But as she looked round at me I can say her face was the least, expressionless.

Mine too. I knew I had no expression for her to see. I think I was trying to understand why she was so intently awake.

'I didn't see you there,' she uttered pretty quickly with a nervous chuckle.

I unfolded my arms and stepped further into the room, beginning to approach her now. 'Oh, I, just…wondered where you went to.'

She stayed silent, and nodded towards me a moment. Her eyes wandered, however, as if she had been somewhere and chose not to tell me.

I perched upon the dining table edge, looking down at her vulnerable form. I ran my fingers through the stray pieces of hair hanging in front of her face, pushed them back to allow me to see more of her face.

I crossed my arms and looked at her. 'Can't sleep?'

She sighed and shrugged. I don't know if she expected to answer me. I was a little surprised when she did. 'I couldn't stop thinking.'

I sighed to myself and pulled back the chair beside her and sat upon it, it's wooden form creaking beneath me slightly as it took my weight. 'Anything you wanna share?'

She shook her head and moved her chin back to her hands. I licked over my lips watching her decide this, then moved a hand to her lower back, just to comfort her.

I didn't realise it before, but I think she had been thinking about what I had told her before, when she cried.

'You can talk to me, Faith, I'm not gonna hurt you.'

She pressed her lips together for a moment and then looked towards me. 'Believe me, that's not what I'm afraid of.' Her voice sounded breathy, light. She sounded tired, still, and I didn't blame her. I had no idea what time it was but I knew that it didn't matter. Day was day. Night was night.

'So you're afraid of something?'

More silence. It was difficult when it came to Faith. Most of me thought I could understand her but it was when I realised one thing meant something completely different I had to re-evaluate everything she'd ever said to me.

'I'm just scared.'

'Scared of what?' I didn't understand why she would be scared. What of? Demons? Us?

'Everything I ever do.' She drew in a breath and sighed it out slow before continuing. 'My entire life has been a mess, and I'm just so scared that this is gonna be something else to add to my track record.'

'This?'

Silence. She looked at me and I could see the moon reflecting in her eyes. 'Us. If you…want there to be an us.'

I nodded. I tried to offer a smile but it seemed she turned away from me before I could.

'O-Of course, I do, Faith,' I said in a broken up exhalation. I was worried. Usually Faith would be so confident about being with a guy, it didn't phase her in the slightest. 'But what are you scared of?'

Silence.

'Faith, you can't keep bottling up your feelings to me, please, just tell me,' I whispered, my hand still at her back. I could feel the movement of her breathing through that and even though it was gentle, calm as it should be, something inside me said really she was screaming.

'I don't wanna lose you,' she said, and I just about heard it. Her voice was so tiny, tiniest I'd ever heard it before, barely audible. I think she was beginning to cry again, and her words were lost by her swallowed breaths.

I frowned a little and moved closer to her. 'I'm not going anywhere.'

She sighed out and shook her head. 'I'm not so sure about that.'

'What?'

'Erm…nothing.'

I didn't realise I wasn't breathing until I finally took one of her hands in mine and looked into her eyes. 'Faith? You see this?' I looked at our hands, then her eyes. 'This is me, bound to you. I'm not going anywhere. I promise. I won't leave you. And whatever you're scared of – you screwing up, me screwing up – whatever…I _love _you, Faith. And I can't just walk away from that.' I inhaled. 'I don't wanna walk away from that.'

I didn't really know why I had just told her all of that. It's not that I wasn't sure of my words, but…I don't know. Something tells me, she didn't need assuring.

But as she moved in to me, planted her soft lips upon mine, everything melted away. All the rising pain of fear and hurt I had, everything that worried me, and once again there was just Faith. That's all I needed to know. That she was here and I was with her. That's all I wanted. And I was satisfied. I moaned in response to her lips; then her hand upon my leg, leaning in towards me. She was so goddamned gentle. Completely different to the Faith I had learned. She was so perfect about it, so calm and indomitable. Made me wonder what made her so scared.

I still couldn't believe how much power she had over making me tremble; just like that. Her touch made me shudder a thousand times over, made that special spot just soft enough to welcome her. I wanted so much for her touch so more that it made my nerves tingle and my flesh pimple. I could feel the once soft, now hard nipples beneath my shirt, and this was all because she had kissed me, and her hand had leant upon my leg, for support.

Then something made my body buckle and my eyes roll up. Her hand. Sliding. Up. Her hand was reaching up, inside my shirt, up my body. I couldn't warm to the touch at first, because I was so scared. I knew what to do but I didn't know how to do it. It slid round to my back and pulled me in closer, then we were standing.

I didn't understand how she was so unnervingly calm about this. Just gentle, serene as she had been before. I wonder if I had been building her up as much as she had for me…everything was beginning to become a buzzing whirr of inebriation between my thighs, inside my body and I couldn't control it. We moved back away from the chairs and towards the lounge, and before I knew it we were back in my room, the door was clicking behind me, and we were tearing clothes off of each other. Literally tearing. And as piece by piece they tumbled to the floor, I felt just that little bit closer the place I knew Faith was taking me.

And God forbid if this was going to be my heaven then my only wish was that I take Faith too.

Then for a moment we both withdrew. Both without an inch of cotton left, a shielding piece of material. Now we were both as pure before each other as we could be, and I let my eyes scan over every inch of her body for the first time, in her acknowledgement.

I reached for her hand and took it, ran it up my stomach, up along my breast. Then I withdrew, let her continue. And she was so perfect. There. Just knowing. Every single moment, movement, anything and everything I had every dreamed for, she gave to me.

Even as she departed my legs a little and manoeuvred herself between me, her hand running gently, smoothly along my inner leg, she gave me that ultimate sensation I had dreamed about for so long, from her.

My hips moved involuntarily towards her hand as her fingers plunged deep within me, and without reprimand I released a high-pitched almost lost whimper. I could feel my body drumming so loudly, drowning out the noises my mouth were making. I could feel the blood pumping crazily around me, flooding so fast that my breathing became quickened, uneven. As her fingers moved within me I clenched the sheets beneath me, and clamped my eyes shut, letting this up to four senses once more. My own body was becoming this powerful collection of pulses, innocuous and dominant over the soft strokes of two of her slender fingers.

'Look at me,' she whispered, so freaking gently that it awakened nervousness in me again. I did as she said, opened my eyes, released a moan through ragged breaths, straight into her eyes. This wonderful Goddess before me, so calm, resolute. Her fingers were pushing me further and further towards ecstasy and all I could do was let her.

'Faith…' I said through an exhaled sigh, and I grabbed the sheets tighter as she continued her pumping frenzy within me.

Her body moved in close to me and soon her lips met mine, gentle, calm, unwavering. I let out a moan into her mouth, on the edge of this cliff, telling myself not to let go. Not just yet.

Then she withdrew. Her lips. Her fingers. The motion stopped. I sighed out and just absorbed this feeling, not quite there yet, the feeling of depravation once more. I let my eyes drift closed and whispered her name. 'Please,' I continued.

Though she took hold of one of my hands, and moved it through the air, and soon brought it into contact with her own skin. I opened my eyes once again, seeing her expression as she pressed my hand to that sensitive spot. I sat up slowly, and she moved her hand away, to the sheets below. Her eyes drifted closed and I said a quick, breathy, 'No.' They bolted open again and I smiled a little. 'Look at me,' I commanded and I saw her swallow.

So there she sat, kneeling before me, me sitting in front of her, ready to go. She pressed down on the cool comforter with her hands on the sheets, on the verge of clenching them as I had done.

I slid one finger in at first, not slow, not quick. Then paused, watched her face. Her eyes were solid. They didn't waver, but something told me she was as scared as I was.

Once I began massaging, carefully as not to coax her, I let out a breath I knew I had been holding. I sensed her fingers enclosing cotton material in the palms of her hands, and her blood beginning that same frantic journey mine had.

Another finger went in and she let out a moan, furrowing her eyebrows as she did. Soon I could feel her walls beginning to clench against my fingers and I sped up my movements. Her hips couldn't keep still, starting this rhythmic motion back and forth, in sync with my fingers. 'Buffy,' she whimpered, taking her gaze away from mine, and I moved my free hand to her cheek.

'Watch me,' I whispered. She shook her head, and moved a hand to my busy hand, and I stopped my actions.

'Together,' she said through short breaths. And at once she moved her hand back to my entrance, departed swollen lips, pushed in and I shrieked. 'God,' I said at the quick motion of her sliding into me.

She let out a chuckle and I followed. 'Together,' I repeated and she nodded. And as we both began again and she moved in closer to me, rested her forehead upon mine, looked into my eyes, and I looked into hers.

We were both silent as we came closer and closer to the point we had strived for. And as Faith's head moved back, face moving towards the ceiling, she began to shake all over, and me too, although I think she was more at release than I was. All at once she seized up, eyelids fluttering shut once again, voice light and thankful, her lower lip trembling, shiny.

Then it was my turn. I clenched my jaw as her pumping frenzy within me continued, as far as she was into ecstasy, though still at reality, for me.

My moans became rhythmic, with every exhalation, and as I tried to stop they became louder. I felt my face almost going into wince, and as her fingers pushed even deeper, almost into the hilt of me, I whimpered.

It was perfect. I let my eyes open and she was watching me, her hand supporting me, my hand clenching her shoulder. And I let out a sigh as this built up energy reached it's highest point, then forced a tingling buzz upon me.

She lay down and I move upon her, and deftly, delicately, she enclosed me within herself. Wrapped her arms around me, entangled her legs within mine. I laid my head upon her chest and folded my arms up to my chest.

I let my eyes fall closed, let my ears listen to the calm of her heartbeat, let my senses absorb this perfect woman surrounding me. I could feel the rise and fall of her chest against me, and that calmed me. Almost sung me a lullaby. But it was her who let me sleep peacefully. Every single part of her.


	11. Volume Eight Thousand, Eight Hundred and...

**Title: **Maybe, Just Maybe  
**Disclaimer: **Please don't; purely for entertainment, creators of 'Buffy'. The characters I created are mine. So steal my idea, or 'borrow' without my permission, and I will be the one to sue.  
**Pairings:**Buffy/Faith  
**Feedback: **Always, please tell me everything you think, plus I want to know if it's good or not   
**Rating: **R for adult scenes

**Note: **Let me know if you want to read the un-cut version, because I had to cut a mahuuusive section out, for obvious reasons. But it's major _adult scenes_ so I didn't post it up here. So let me know if you wanna read and I'll send it to you. Keep reviewing, please, please, please!

* * *

Chapter 10 

I jammed the stake in his chest, being careful to keep my guard as I watched his former state crumble into an ashy pile of grey dust. I lost my stake. Crap. And there was another one coming towards me. Hard and fast. I moved out of his way and smacked him in the back as he went past, causing him to fall on his knees.

I could hear her across the way, fighting as hard as I was. And I could hear Will, fighting harder than both of us two put together. I twisted the vamps head off his shoulders and he too was dust. I sighed and looked over at the girls in turn. First Will. She was okay. She didn't need my help, she had it all down. I think just watching her for two seconds I'd seen two opportunities she could'a taken to stake him. She knew she could have too. She's a clever girl.

Then I looked over at Faith, yelling at the bastard as she backhanded him several times, then staked him right in his soft spot. She took a step back and sighed before looking up to find me looking at her. She smiled sweetly and her eyes glowed.

I heard Will yell followed by a thud, then I looked. Crap. The vamp had floored her. I hurried over and kicked him, sending him flying back, AWAY from her, thank god. Faith rushed up to the vamp and staked him, and I stayed at Will's side, helping her up. 'You okay?' She nodded.

'I think I might be concussed, though.' I looked at where she'd landed. Very close to a gravestone. Her head could've hit it.

'What's my name?'

'Buffy, I'm kidding, I'm fine,' she said through quickened breaths of air. Faith approached us and Will put her free hand in Faith's, we helped her up together. We resumed walking, Will between Faith and I, and somehow I found myself inwardly cursing at how she was. Why? We'd be alone later on.

'You know, I'm really liking this…whole me, patrolling with you two, it's fun and also, I kick ass. We all do…in a _good_ way, which is good cos now, we can all…'

'I thought you were out of breath, Red?' Faith asked gently followed by a slight chuckle, and Will smiled.

'I really do go on, don't I?' she said and we all chuckled.

'So who's up for the Bronze? I hear there's a really great band playing tonight, I forget the name, but still, all three of us, getting' d-'

'As far as I'm concerned, I'll get down, but no dirty. I have school tomorrow,' Willow said and Faith and I slowed up and she walked on.

I smiled to myself and Faith tapped me on the arm lightly. 'How 'bout it, girlfriend?'

I contemplated her words for a second. 'No.'

'No? Why not?'

I looked up and cocked my head thoughtfully to the side. 'Well…we have…' I pointed to myself and mouthed "my house" as I watched her watching me. '…For that. Or yours…of course…' I smiled and I could see now that her smile had turned into a shit-eating grin.

'Okay, B. I'll take you up on that offer.' She sucked in a breath through her mouth, furrowed her eyebrows and shoved her hands into the back pockets of her dark jeans.

I knew she was about to say something, so I took the liberty of cutting in. 'Lemme guess?' She looked to me. 'Juiced?'

She flashed me a grin, but I could see her blushing as her gaze fell and her eyes twinkled. She never blushed like that before, when she used to tell me that. She'd be all cool about it saying how she was itching to give one more vamp a big, bad "uhh" for dessert. But she was actually blushing this time, grinning as she watched her own feet walking, her hands tucked away from me.

- - -

I sighed out a long breath as I looked over the words in front of me. What they meant, I had no idea. As if my brain was ready to absorb this right now.

'I-It says that the messages could all be linked. And you say that you've had no more dreams since that-that stomach one, correct?' Giles asked from his office.

I raised my voice to speak to him. 'Uh, no, not that I can remember. I think if it was anything unusual I would remember it, but nothing.'

'What about Faith? Has she had any dreams?'

I shook my head. 'Not that I know of.'

He returned to the table with a box of books with a large book poking out of the top. I looked at it and frowned. 'Is that useful?' It was that "Vampyr" book…I didn't like that thing.

'Maybe.'

Actually I think it was a different one. Looked as ancient.

He sat down across from me and picked out the book, opened it. I looked over at it, trying to see the words on the page. It didn't matter because they were all in a foreign-type ancient language. 'Markings?'

He shook his head. 'Not just markings. Ancient tribes used to draw what they saw. Messages from the Jordipe, in detail, as it seems. Could have some useful information, some…cryptic code that may come in handy.'

'So these tribes…they were led into apocalypse?'

'Well I've been trying to figure out what the pictures mean, but they seem so encrypted that it might take some sort of translation code to crack them.'

'Well, lemme take a look, see if anything looks familiar.'

He slid the book across to me as I shoved my other one aside and I looked at the upside down book. 'It goes this way, ' I recognised immediately. 'This way round, you were looking at it upside down.' I looked up at him and he looked at me confusedly. 'There. They're the marching men. That's the stick thing they all had one of. And that's where they were.'

'How do you know?'

I shook my head and looked at the page indifferently. 'I, don't know I just do.' I looked closer at the page to see if anything else looked familiar. 'That's the Jordipe.'

I have no idea how I knew that, but it felt strange, just being able to recognise it from looking at it for a second.

'How do you know?'

'Same way I'm guessing I knew all the other things.' I drew in a breath. 'Is this a journal?'

Giles shrugged. 'Could be. It's so ancient, all of the markings, words, whatever, are all in this code I have no idea how to translate. See, here,' he continued as he turned the page for me.

What's all this? I thought to myself as he started dragging his finger along the top line. 'I think you're looking at it the wrong way, Giles.'

He frowned. 'You really think?'

I nodded. 'Turn it this way.' I turned the book sideways. 'They will march forth into the gates of Hiashaa and shall be anointed by the Hal-hal-h…haalaakshaa…' That's a long word.

I looked up at Giles who was looking at me as if I had been learning this language my entire life. I shrugged. 'What?'

He removed his glasses from his face and looked back at the book, trying to see what I had been looking at. Then he looked up, back at me. 'How are you understanding all of this?'

I shrugged. 'I don't actually know. Perhaps it's a slayer-thing…maybe I'm the only one that's supposed to be able to read this.'

I hadn't noticed her come in but as she leaned over the book, I immediately drew in a breath, taking in her scent. Same as ever. Vanilla and strawberries. 'The only being to remain upon the Earth after the Himshalia will be the Slayer, who will not only consume all power but will be the strongest, most powerful evil-whooa that is heavy shit, who wrote that?' she said as she grabbed a chair and sat beside me.

I sat forward and looked at Giles, who was looking at Faith in the same way he had me a few moments ago. I think he was baffled. 'O-Okay…so you understand it too?'

She shrugged. 'It's written in English, Giles, why shouldn't I be able to?'

His head did a "look back and forth Faith and the book" a few times before looking at me. 'Is it me, is it just me or is that not in plaintext English?'

I shrugged. 'It's not written, _written_ in English but the words are like English, I guess. See, if you read it this way.' I dragged my finger along the page in the way I had started to read it in.

He let out a noise, still dumbfounded and then pulled the book towards him. 'I don't see it, how do any of these letters look like words to you?'

I shrugged. Giles moved the book in Faith's direction. 'Read-read it again, what did it say?'

She shrugged. 'Just that the Slayer would be the only one left on the earth and would become the most powerful force of evil.'

'Evil?' I repeated.

She nodded a little and pointed to the book, seemingly laid-back about it. I read it in my head, though muttered slightly under my breath as my eyes scanned over the words. 'So it does,' I said thoughtfully.

I looked up at Giles, slowly, who had been looking astounded at us the entire time. I think we might have stumbled upon something.

- - -

I let down my hair and lay across the bed, only my sheets keeping me from nudity. I flipped one of the wasted pages and tried to make sense of the words I was seeing. Faith had been downstairs getting us some drinks and had been a couple of minutes already, so I decided to get a start on reading this thing.

I closed the book again and just looked at the cover. I swung my legs round and pulled the sheets up to cover me, and I traced a finger along the embossed markings on the front cover. 'The Ancient Laws, Volume…' Eight thousand, eight hundred and twenty…four??? There were that many volumes of Ancient Laws?

The way this was written was weird. It was almost a picture, but not quite. The flow of the lines were what told me what it meant, but I guess it could also be seen as a picture of a spear of some sort. A weapon.

I flipped the cover over and looked at the first page, my eyebrows furrowed deep in my forehead. I think concentration really was beginning to take over.

'She who reads must understand. They who write are to be taken seriously. "And after apocalypse, they will obey her." What?' I muttered to myself, the weird words telling me a further encrypted version of the book. It was in English, but apparently you needed a translation to be able to understand it. Cryptic. I hate cryptic.

I flipped a couple more pages. The way it was written was so strange. Not quite words, not quite pictures. In between where so far the most educated man I knew could not read it.

I tucked my hair behind my ear to stop it from falling over my eyes, and then moved my fingers to the page. They didn't have any raised markings. Just…someone who had hand-written/drawn this book/journal thing.

I flipped a few more pages, taking careful note of how each page I had seen was laid out. They all created a larger picture of maybe a more "universally recognised" object such as a spear, a sword or a crown.

'"In the end, she will rise above them all." What the hell does that mean?' I jumped as I heard the doorknob turn and then come to. It was just Faith but something was putting me on edge. My guess? This stupid book.

'Hey, you,' she said lightly as she carried snacks and drinks and various other stuff.

She soon met me at the bed and kissed my bare shoulder. I glanced at her, smiling a little, though that faded quickly when I looked back at the book. 'Still buggin' over the Slayer being the ultimate evil?'

I shook my head a little. 'This thing is weird. It keeps saying really cryptic things like "she will rise above" and "Haaimshalaalaa" crap, whatever that means.' Something told me that I should learn the pronunciation of that word.

She wrapped an arm around my waist and hugged me. 'Don't worry about it, it's just an old book someone wrote cos they had nothing else to do.'

'Actually, no.' I closed the book and listened to the big, huge "oomph" noise it made when it closed.

There was silence and all I could hear were our breaths. Then she spoke. 'How many volumes are there in total? Like a million?'

I shrugged. 'Probably.'

'So this is all part of some kind of screwed up law?'

I shrugged. 'I guess we have to read it to find out, huh.'

She nodded and moved back onto the bed, her expression shifting from work-related to play-related in the space of approximately two seconds. 'But…can it wait…just a little while?' she said, her voice sounding husky, playful.

I looked back over my shoulder at her near-naked form. There were honestly times I couldn't believe she was sitting on my bed in a jog-bra and a thong. But there she was, hot and horny as ever.

I smiled coyly. 'Just a little while?' She nodded and pouted at me, beginning to twirl her finger on the bed space beside her. I chuckled and kicked the book off the bed.

'Just a…little while, then? Not…a long while?' I said, slowly beginning to make my way up to the other end of the bed.

'Hmm. I'll have to think about that one,' she replied, her eyes looking at her twirling finger.

I reached for that finger and took it into my mouth, slowly licking over it with my tongue, before letting it out of my mouth again and moving it to my entrance. 'Tease me,' I told her, my voice sounding somewhat scarily lustful.

Her smile grew and mine followed suit. As her finger slipped in I let out a high-pitched shriek, my inhaling breath hitching in my throat.

I closed my eyes a moment, just to absorb what had happened then let them open again, to see her watching me. Her finger had paused within me, and now was beginning to move, back and forth, very tauntingly. Slowly, deep, she took every swift movement. Her face told me a story of, "We're Just Getting Started" and her shiny lips told me her tongue was too excited to stay still in her mouth.

- - -

'"The voices shall be heard. And at once they will march towards their leader."' I passed the book to her.

She tucked loose hair behind her ear and I watched for a moment at the glistening skin below her jawbone. My lips wanted so much to kiss her there, just to taste her sweetness.

She caught me looking at her and smiled, then looked back at the book. '"All above shall, bow, all below shall rise."' She passed it to me and I smiled sheepishly as she did. My hand swept across hers as the book switched hands and I felt myself tingle. She still did it for me.

'"There will be sounds."' I went to pass the book back to her, though she shook her head. 'What?'

'You can't just read that, then pass it to me. Read the part underneath,' she urged, pointing to the place on the page.

I scoffed and looked back at the book. 'Okay.' I sucked in a breath of air and sighed it out. '"No human shall survive. Only the One that is meant to. They shall march. She shall lead. She will go. They shall follow."'

'"All together they shall be united. As one…"' She looked up at me, and I urged her to continued with my hand lingering at her waist. '"…Hell."'

I took the book and swallowed, a little worried of the words that would follow. '"She will not fight. She will not struggle. She will not die, but become the ultimate immortality all demons and angels will envy. She will rule."'

'"They will follow."'

We both looked up at Giles, who was looking at us as if we had…well…as if we had both been…how do I put this…never mind. He was looking at us with a complete expression of anxiety. 'That is the most messed up version of apocalypse I have heard. Why would demons want the Slayer to become the most powerful immortality? She…you…two…work to vanquish evil, not work with it.'

I shrugged. 'I dunno.'

'Does it say anything else?'

Faith sighed out a breath of air. 'I dunno.'

Silence. Giles removed his glasses from his face and the rest of it. I looked at Faith as he began speaking and she looked at me. I can say that Giles words were lost from the moment her opened his mouth because I don't believe any of us were listening.

He disappeared into a row of shelves and I moved in close to her, to kiss her, and pressed my lips to her neck feeling immediately the warmth emitting itself from her body. She clutched the small of my back as I kissed her and then she let out a tiny giggle. 'We gotta stop, Giles is gonna go mental if we don't concentrate.'

I continued kissing her neck, though paused for a moment to say, 'Concentrate? I am concentrating,' I said, exhaling against the dip of her neck, then I moved in close to suck in her skin to my mouth, to bite it…just gently.

She moved back a little, as she cleared her throat, and sat back in her chair, as if trying to be relaxed. Giles was coming down the stairs with yet another big book. Thankfully he had already dipped into it and hadn't seen us.

I glanced at the "relaxed" Faith before sitting back in my chair also, and pulling one of my rings off of my finger to play with it.

'What I don't quite understand is why they waited for eight-thousand volumes before publishing a copy of "The Slayer Shall Become Evil." It just doesn't make sense, why would they want a Slayer to rule them.'

'Well, Giles, you can ease up on the contusion just a little, if ya want, I mean we're not that rancid,' Faith quipped as she slipped a stick of gum into her mouth.

I chuckled a little and watched him as he seated himself back in the chair. 'Yeah, I mean why now? Are these some sort of prophetic journals that ancient peoples wrote? And why did they write them, why not just let it happen?'

'Because perhaps they wanted to warn us, maybe they wanted to tell us something.'

'Like perhaps maybe we shouldn't turn evil?' I said perkily and crossed my legs, sat forward, trying to see into his book.

'Hmm. Perhaps.'

Faith sighed and sat forward a little too. 'So what do we do, just sit back and let it all happen?'

- - -

I drew in a nervous breath as we sat around the circle and Willow recited some Latin words from that same book we had been reading. Apparently this spell was supposed to conjure the spirits of those who wrote it.

Faith sat on the opposite side of the circle, Willow in between us two, Giles on the opposite side of Willow, again, between Faith and I. I glanced at her across the circle, but she seemed all too fascinated at how yellow orbs began to form to materialise a person.

'What do we say?' I whispered to Giles, the spirit still forming inside the circle.

Giles shrugged a little and outstretched a hand towards the spirit. 'We need to find out everything we can about this apocalypse and why now, what's so significant about it, why it has to happen.'

'Geez, don't think I'll have enough time to ask all that,' I muttered.

'Well we need to get whatever information we can, period. Anything useful, so you must focus, after all, you and Faith may be the only ones able to communicate with it.'

Before I could get a chance to answer him, the spirit looked at me, it's eyes horribly piercing, nightmarishly glazed over…white, bar the cloudy iris that pierced me. 'Why did you summon me? Tell me at once,' it ordered and I opened my mouth. Again, before I had a chance to say anything, it spoke. 'You are the Slayer,' it said as if realizing it only now, as if it had seen something new as I opened my mouth.

I didn't really know how to respond to that. So I nodded. Faith alerted it to her by saying al at once, 'Hey, me too.'

It turned to her, and looked at moment. 'No.'

She raised her eyebrows and nodded a little, moving her eyes to the space in front of her. 'Er…yes.'

He folded his arms and stood before her, looking at her as if she was some sort of parasite struggling to get back it's dignity. 'That isn't possible. Slayer's can never exist together, not without the previous one dying first.'

'Well I changed all that,' she said, grinning slightly, moving her head as if to say "I'm totally cooler than you."

Silence. He folded his arms and looked back to me. I inwardly cursed for him doing so. He crept me out. He had an ancient, raggedy, haunted look about him. Not particularly friendly, however not particularly threatening either. But still. That look was…intimidating. It constantly glowed, this aura surrounding his spirit-form. The glow wasn't particularly inviting, more…blinding. But still. He was looking at me, expecting for me to say something, I assume because he didn't move to speak.

'You have read my volume of "Machmachra," yes? That is why you called me.'

I looked blankly at him.

Giles cleared his throat and tapped my arm lightly. 'He means that book that I couldn't read.'

I nodded a little and looked up at him. He was still looking at me. I think I was scared. He looked as if he was going to possess me or something, I dunno. Had that creepy look about him

'Oh, yeah. Did you write all eight-thousand?' I finally said and he nodded his head in response.

'I wrote nine-thousand, eight hundred and sixteen of them. My mentor wrote the first two thousand. My follower wrote the next one. All but three of them were destroyed. They possess vital information of every apocalypse that has taken place was recorded in these volumes, in anticipation of them happening again.'

'So…this one about us, has happened before?' I asked, finally gaining enough courage to look into his eyes.

'Yes. In fact, that is probably the most well-known apocalypse, bar the "Ascension." Because the erachnii have never been able to be destroyed, they will always try until they succeed. They have been defeated a number of times, however not destroyed. They may be trapped beneath the earth, but still they try. They will try to capture you, to exterminate the entire human race, just to be able to live on Earth, with you to rule them.'

'What a stupid dream,' Faith muttered, and the spirit turned to face her.

'Riches you had never dreamed of will be at your waiting hand.'

'But it's not a good thing, right?' I asked him, upon him turning to face me.

Faith scoffed. 'I'd be rich, course it is.'

I frowned a little. 'None of this makes sense. You're saying that this has happened many times before? Have these…acne things ever succeeded in wiping out the entire human race?'

'Nearly, once. I was one of the few handfuls of people remaining. We found shelter and safety deep below the earth, where the erachnii had left to be above earth. But our skin became torn with no sunlight or herbs to heal it. Our wounds never healed, our hunger never disappeared. Starvation, disease and darkness consumed us, leaving the volumes to be discovered by men who would destroy them, no good man left to protect them. In a way, yes, they did succeed. But something stopped their plan. My best guess is the only remaining human on the planet. The Slayer.'

I exhaled a breath I didn't know I was holding. 'Why would she let all of this happen?'

'She wouldn't. They mentally poison her, the strongest living mortal force able to protect them all. She is taken against her own will, forced to watch them kill every human being, her family, friends. Even innocents she'd never met, had no comprehension of.'

'Why do they want to live above Earth so much, much less want a Slayer to rule them?' Giles asked, looking to the spirit.

'What strikes me the most is why the erachnii wanted a Slayer to so much as be present in their destroying of the human race. No one knows why they wanted a Slayer as their ruler. Why not the source, the First, a strong force of evil. Why a strong force of good?'

I glanced at Giles, then at Will. 'I wish someone would listen to me once in a while.'

'Giles, I don't think he can hear you,' I suggested. I had no idea, he could just be ignoring him, but I think that may have been a more obvious reason. I don't even think he could see Will, or he would have at least glanced at them both by now.

'So you think that this will happen again?' I asked him.

He frowned. 'As I said, they will always try.' I didn't have a chance to ask him anything more before orbs appeared and his form faded.

I looked at Giles. 'How the hell are we supposed to stop an entire race of demons flooding the earth with no idea of how, when, why, _where_…' I guess this was a point of panic.

'Perhaps they won't try,' Faith suggested, shrugging her shoulders as she played with her fingers.

'No, you heard the man. They always will,' Giles answered, and reached for the candle before him, then blew it out. He rose and carried the candle to the table across the lounge of his apartment and rubbed his forehead as he leant his elbow on the kitchen counter. 'Question is, is there anything we can do to stop it from happening at all?'

I looked at Will, who had gathered some of the ingredients, then at Faith, who had blown out a few candles. They both moved away from the circle, and I looked at the space in which had just been occupied by that man. 'I really, really hope so.'


	12. Touch My Mind, Touch My Body, Touch My S...

**Title: **Maybe, Just Maybe  
**Disclaimer: **Please don't; purely for entertainment, creators of 'Buffy'. The characters I created are mine. So steal my idea, or 'borrow' without my permission, and I will be the one to sue.  
**Pairings:**Buffy/Faith  
**Feedback: **Always, please =)  
**Rating: **R for adult scenes

**Note: **Let me know if you want to read the un-cut version, because I seriously had to edit out most of the chapter, for the most obvious reasons. So let me know if you wanna read and I'll send it to you. Remember: More Reviews = More Chapters =D

* * *

Chapter 11 

Another night at the Bronze, after Slayage. This time Will decided not to come with us, she had a major Chem. report. Not that I minded because it meant we could be alone together.

We got in a good round of slaying tonight. Faith would say the vamps we got were ballsy, very. Naturally that pissed her off a little more, but I had no intention of calming her down. Once again, after all of that was over she was ready to get down and dirty; I wasn't about to stop her.

Once we got there I told her I was going to use the bathroom and she said she'd get us a couple of drinks.

I looked at my reflection in the bathroom mirror. I didn't look so bad. I didn't look so great, either, at least I thought so. I had left my hair down tonight, and it had been curly from that morning. The waves were still there but naturally looser than before.

I was wearing a blue and purple gypsy top and a pair of tight jeans, that clung to my body with just enough to reveal but not to look too slutty either.

I didn't want her to see me that way, anyway. As some sort of slut. I wanted her to see me…I guess the way I saw her. The most beautiful person I'd ever seen. A part of me was jealous at how naturally beautiful she was. She didn't need a spot of make-up but whenever she wore any she would looking so stunning. I could look at her all day.

As I looked on at the hazel eyes staring straight back at me, I wondered what she was thinking about me; about us. So far everything had been going alright. As far as I know there was no tension between Will and her, and I hadn't said anything about Faith and I. Not just yet. I thought I'd wait. I don't know what for. Come to think of it…no one knew about us. Just us. Faith and myself.

I noticed how the bare skin on my exposed chest of my low cut gypsy was glistening; multi-faceted beads of moisture were accompanying it. I was so hot. And parched.

'Hey, you,' I heard a voice calling from just inside the door of the bathroom.

My facial expression relaxed and I blushed, looked down and shifted my weight onto my other foot. 'Hey…'

She began to approach me and for some reason I couldn't help but be nervous.

'I started missing you,' she said as she reached for one of my hands, and as she moved in close to me, I inhaled, just drawing in the sweet scent of her…it was everlasting. Made me never wanna leave her side. She straddled my waist with her hands, and her lips met with the dip of my neck. I let out a tiny moan and I could feel her lips smile against my neck.

'What about our drinks?' I finally mustered up the courage to speak, my voice temporarily having been lost from the inebriation she had began to unleash upon me.

She chuckled low in her throat and moved away; not too far, her lips moved to a different spot, my jawbone, and whilst she exhaled, she spoke to me. 'They can wait.'

I smiled in response to her comment and moved my hands to hers. As I expected she began kissing my neck, slowly, tantalisingly. And as her hand began to slide northwards of my body, my eyelids fell closed, her doses of ecstasy far too much for me to take all at once. For god's sake, all she'd done was touch me. And it was only a little bit. But still my senses were weakening from this pulsation that had began to spirit inside of me.

Without my comprehension we had moved into a cubicle, and she was kissing me hard upon the lips, her hands were searching my body, ferociously, as if a tiger were tearing apart its fresh meal. Apparently I was returning the excitement, beneath her on the toilet seat now, she was in my lap, and we were both rocking to some motion. Fast, insatiable, each apparently needing each other more than the other.

I found myself clenching handfuls of tight leather and pushing it northward, listening to it as it gathered and bent itself against my will. It's hotness clearly came from her; her thighs so heated that the material emitted heat of it's own.

Her hair fell around me as we kissed; her in my lap, unfastening the clasp of my bra, me pushing up material, out of the way. It was all a mesh of moans and material moving, a fast and inevitable, frenzied-

'I need you,' I heard her say straight into my ear, her voice barely above a whisper; so husky it aroused me further.

'I know,' I replied, my voice attempting the same volume that hers did, only mine was a fair amount clearer, stronger.

I still couldn't believe that I was making her tremble, for me. Even as my fingers threatened to enter her, even as her breaths rendered parched on her lips and her body soaked itself in her moisture, even as her eyebrows creased and her face lifted to the ceiling…I couldn't believe this Goddess before me was letting herself be taken by me.

'Not here,' I said, just as I was about to go in. I had massaged there a while and could see that if I gave her three thrusts she would already be there.

She uttered a limp and rushed, 'What?' as her eyes came open and she looked at me.

I licked over my lips and pouted. 'I'm thirsty.'

She exhaled the rest of her breath and then huffed. 'I'm parched but you don't see me complaining,' she said between breaths, as she watched me fasten my bra and pull down my top.

'No, I see you coming,' I quipped and slid my hands around her waist. I pulled her in for a quick kiss. 'This is the Bronze. We're supposed to get down here. Bronze closes at like three, right? I say we have another five hours before I have to get up and go to school.'

'That's a good five hours to fu-'

'Faith, shut up,' I warned her, and looked around, as if looking through the cubicles. I could hear something. Two people. It didn't sound great.

'What's up?' I pressed a finger to my lips and made a signal for her to get up off of my lap. She moved just as I asked and I reached for the lock of the cubicle, but before I could open it, someone smashed someone else right to it. I jumped back, and so did Faith, followed by a girl screaming and someone else growling. I reached a hand back to keep Faith back, and continued reaching for the lock. I pulled it back and moved out of the way of the door flinging back into my face.

Just as I suspected. Some girl drinking off another girl. I shoved her back off of the panicked girl into the ceramic tiles behind her. She grunted at me and I raised an eyebrow, then shoved the other girl in the direction, told her to go, quickly.

I looked around for a piece of wood or an implement to stake the vamp with no success, and tutted. 'Damn. You'd at least think they'd have slot machines for sharp implements, doncha think?' I said, coming out of the cubicle, and beginning to walk around. I noticed the ballsed up vamp was heaving, still against the wall, fangs galore.

I continued to look around for anything, any goddamned implement…I tore off the tissue paper holder and turned round to get the vamp, only to find that she'd disappeared.

Faith emerged from the cubicle, still straightening out her skirt. 'Did you see where it went?' I said to her and she grabbed my arm, pulled me out of the bathroom.

I couldn't find her anywhere. This well and truly sucked. Sex aside and everything, even though we were calming it down, putting on hold this was not exactly the way I'd planned for it to go down. This was supposed to be post-patrol. Although getting in a couple of pre-patrol hours of real good "uhh" was something I reckon Faith would wanna put on the agenda.

I caught her sneaking out of the back door, with a guy on her arm. It was usually the guy who was sneaking off to feed, but occasionally it was the girl.

Just as I planned. I followed her, staked her, sent the guy home. Faith and I both resumed our…previous-ish positions. Not exactly but…whatever.

I leant against the counter and waited for our drinks as she sat over in a seating area, looking well and truly flushed. I imagined she was still half way to release. It was how I felt being around her post-slayage all the time. Even before she found out how I felt about her.

I looked over at her, and just as I said; she was glowing. I looked back to the bartender and gave him some money. Waited for my change, then made my way over to her, carrying our drinks. I put them down on the table and sat beside her, then said into her ear, 'You're glowing.' I sat back a little, crossed my legs and moved a hand to hers.

She smiled, her other arm perched on the back of the sofa, her face towards the moving bodies on the dance floor. Her face lit up slightly, her cheeks rose and her eyes glistened. 'Yeah, you gave me a, little bit of a rush back there.'

I giggled and leant in close to her ear, my lips very nearly pressed to them, my fingers entangled within hers, resting in her lap, one of my fingers threatening the hem of her skirt. 'Wanna…dance?'

I saw the corner of her mouth tug up and her gaze moved to me. 'Thought you were parched?' she said, then with the hand in which mine was with, pointed to the red paper cups.

I smiled and then sat forward, downed my drink and then rose. I outstretched my hand to her and she looked at it. I cocked my head towards the dance floor, smiling at how she had been looking at me the entire time.

She rose from the sofa and planted a hand in mine, and as we began to move over to the floor, I felt a tingling sensation start to build within me once again.

The music was just as pent up as we had been with our slaying; ballsy, heavy bass, pumping so immensely through every present body. The figures moved, some synchronised with the beat of the music, some _really _not.

We started dancing, hand in hand, and she moved her body up against mine, ever so wonderfully touching me in all the right places. I could feel how hot she was, about as equally as I could see, and as our bodies moved together to the beat of the music, I felt her temperature rising.

One leg between mine, one leg between hers, she pushed against me, me against her. And as soon as she hit me I could feel just how wet she had become. Equally her frequent moans and her furrowed eyebrows told me that she indeed was still at that place that I had left her when I told her how thirsty I was.

And soon, once again I felt her hands beginning to search my body. Just…gingerly…one hand at the small of my back, the other searching a comfortable place on my thigh. I looked her directly in the eyes, and she smiled.

The music began to slow and soon people were either leaving the floor or drawing partners in close to one another. Indolently I traced over every inch of skin my hands would take on the path to her shoulders, and once rested there, I wrapped them tightly, pressed my body to hers. I could feel everything. It was so beautiful. Her heartbeat against my chest, the rise and fall of her as she respired. Her breath against my skin, and her warmth.

I felt her hands begin to embrace the small of my back tighter, and I let my eyelids fall closed. And I don't know whether it was the lyrics of the song, whatever…but I felt hot tears touch my shoulder. 'You're crying,' I said into her ear, solemnly.

I moved a hand to her head and just held it softly to me. She moved her cheek in to mine, and I could feel where her tears had been. 'Yeah,' she said, also very solemnly.

'Why?' I asked after a while, as we continued to move to the music.

She exhaled and I waited patiently for a reply. 'You said you love me,' she began, and I listened to how soft her voice had become. 'And…no one ever touches me this way. Except for you.' She snuggled her head closer in to my neck.

I didn't reply to her. I don't think she needed for me to. But just listening to her words took me back to that moment in my room, when she said she wanted to love me.

'_Goooood, _I'm so in love with the way you touch me,' she whispered into my ear as we danced.

I held her a little tighter, just grasping the words she had spoken to me. She never really spoke this way, only to me, and when she did, it made me feel special. I didn't ever want that to end.

- - -

She lay incredibly still as I drug my fingers over her naked stomach, and watched the gorgeously tanned skin, my fingers tracing over every wonderful crease and contour of her flawless form. We'd slept together many times before, and most certainly lay before each other in the purest form there was, yet my eyes had never followed every inch of skin there was, neither my hands. With only one, and extremely slowly, steadily, my fingers found it's way around each part of her body.

I lay beside her, pure as she was, and closed my eyes. Let this adventure up to my sense of touch. Even as her hand rested upon mine and continued it's journey.

- - -

I could feel her climax hitting her, clutching at my fingers, making her quiver, and I touched. Touched her. Touched her mind, touched her body, touched her soul.

The sweet aroma of her climax filled the room and it made me happy.

She relaxed into the comforter and breathed heavily, calming down inch by inch from her inebriation. And as I moved my mouth to her stomach, she moaned, once again.

She told me it was my turn.

She told me it was her turn to touch me.


	13. Differences Aside

**Title: **Maybe, Just Maybe  
**Disclaimer: **Please don't sue. The characters I created are mine. So steal my idea, or 'borrow' without my permission, and I will be the one to sue. Other characters remain...not mine.  
**Pairings:**Buffy/Faith  
**Feedback: **Always, please =)  
**Rating: **R for adult scenes

**Note: **I am SO SORRY for the lack of update for so long. I've been so stuck with this fic, and I've only just recently started up with it again. I hope you haven't lost interest. Please keep reading! I'm coming up with more ideas now so I should be back on track for updating, and what not. Thanks SO much for your support and I'm so sorry it took so long to update.

* * *

Chapter 12 – Differences Aside 

Silence was probably the most annoying element that accompanied darkness. Especially at that moment, when vamps were lurking and they had to be found. Faith had a thing for staking out every vamp she had set eyes on, no matter if they led her all the way to Cleveland and back. She itched for the kill, and wouldn't let it go 'til it was done.

But that night was different. I had to bail because Giles needed be at his place, to look over something that he had found in that fat ugly book. So Faith and Will went out for patrol, and as usual I made it a note telling Will to be careful and to pull out if things got too heavy.

'I never thanked you,' Will started, as they trod the pathway concrete leading into a swirl of darkness and trees and tombstones.

Faith glanced at Will, a little confused about what she meant. She let her continue to speak.

'For…helping me. Like…everything that you did, a-and said, and…' she trailed off and Faith looked at her once more.

She shrugged and shoved her hands into her back pockets of her jeans. 'Mneh…it's what friend's do. And anyways, it's all about havin' a good time.'

Silence. Faith immediately realised this was strange. Will was never this silent.

'So you're just a friend to me,' she said, under her breath.

Faith furrowed her eyebrows slightly, beginning to feel slightly uncomfortable.

'You know it's amazing how much your feelings can…can change as your relationship grows. Cos like…with Xander, I spent so long hating him, then liking him, th-then _loving _him, and…everything that's ever happened between us…I've never been through so many emotions.'

'Well, he's your childhood bud. Of course you're gonna have been through emotional roller coaster rides with him, it's common.' Faith looked at her feet as she walked, thinking a little about how many roller coasters she'd been on thinking about every person she'd ever been with. Few meant a thing to her. Just the one meant a lot.

Will hummed a little in her throat, as if she was thinking. 'Yeah I guess. But…the thing is…I'm…I'm not actually talking about him.'

More silence. Faith had realised straight away what Willow meant, and she looked up at her, to find her looking straight back at her. Will stopped them walking, and leant in to kiss Faith, though Faith pushed her out of the way and landed a kick straight into the belly of an incoming vamp.

Will was a little taken aback by Faith's pushing of her out of the way, though quickly realised it was all for her own safety. She saw a vamp coming in the opposite direction and hurried to go fight him down.

Faith hated the fact that vamps were so freaking cocky with her, and the fact that all they talked about was sucking the blood out of the 'Slayer' ballsed her up. Mainly because she thought of me, and not her.

She cracked his neck off his shoulders, and poof. Looking around she saw Will was surrounded. Surrounded, and beat. Some guy was sucking off her neck, the other holding her stake to the flesh on her chest.

'Shit, Will!' Faith hurried over to her and kicked the sucking vamp out of the way and somehow managed to turn the stake on the other vamp and poof him instantly. She quickly grabbed the stake and chucked it at the other vamp, missing by a fraction of an inch. Will fell to the ground, near enough to unconsciousness. She cursed to herself under her breath, retrieving the stake from her back pocket and moving towards the vamp.

'Nice try, Slayer. Shame your girlfriend wasn't strong enough,' he sneered.

She backhanded him, letting out a noise at the same time. 'Screw you, you bastard. You get your kicks out of siring, you're screwed up. Should get yourself a life.' She paused. 'Whoops. Too stupid, you couldn't keep hold of that either.' She kicked him and he fell down to the ground and as he rolled over, she shoved the stake through his chest, and as he disintegrated, he laughed. 'Insane dickhead.'

She remembered Will and chucked the stake aside, hurried to Will at once. 'Fuck,' she said under her breath. She knelt down beside her, checking her pulse immediately. 'Shi-Will, can you hear me? Red, can you hear me?' she winced, knowing Will was right on the edge.

- - -

She yelled at the top of her voice at the green door before her. 'Open the fuck up, now!!!' she yelled, tears welling up in her eyes.

To her surprise, I pulled the door back, looking a little pissed off. My facial expressions must have transformed at record timing. 'Oh my god, what happened?' I asked as she pushed past, carrying Will in her arms, barely conscious. Giles was clearing books off of the couch to make way for her, and Faith laid her down, gently as she could.

'I was fighting a vamp, she was too, I had no idea she couldn't handle it, I had my back to her.' She stepped back and Giles grabbed a towel, pressed it to her neck.

'Goddamit, Faith I told you to be careful. You knew it was too much you should've just backed out,' I muttered under my breath, as I opened up the first aid box.

Faith sat back on her heels, took some of the equipment I handed to her. 'I didn't know, B.'

'Well you _should _have,' I snapped at her. Not meaning to, but scared that what I had imagined might come true. This is exactly why I didn't want Will going in.

Faith ripped open the packets of whatever the fuck it was I'd handed her. 'Well how the hell was I supposed to have known? They came outta nowhere, I had no idea, I couldn't see!'

'Well next time use your fucking eyes!' I yelled, looking straight at her. I turned back to Will and pressed the antiseptic laden cotton wool to her neck. I turned to Giles as he sat beside me, as quiet as he was anxious. 'I think she'll be okay.'

'Maybe we should get her to the hospital just in case. She's probably lost a lot of blood,' Giles told me. I nodded.

'Shall we take your car?' I asked, and he nodded in reply, getting to his feet to grab his keys and coat.

I took the gauze from Faith, who had been silent ever since and pressed it to Will's neck. 'It's okay, sweetie, we're gonna get you to a hospital,' I told her softly, my own voice breaking up a little.

She sat back ever so silently, just watching us two rushing about around her. She ran fingers back through her hair and sighed. 'Want me to carry her out to the car?' she piped up, so gently.

I shook my head. 'Just stay out of it, you've caused enough trouble,' I told her straight away, as I slid my arm under Will's neck, and another under her knees.

'I didn't _know, _B,' she said quietly.

'That's enough,' I told her. I turned to Giles. 'Shall we go?'

He nodded, and I saw him glance at Faith before heading out. I couldn't even look at her right now. Why I was so mad at her…I don't know. Maybe because I wasn't there.

She followed us out, closing the door after me. I heard her footsteps behind, and inwardly wished they would go away. I really didn't want her here right now.

- - -

'She's lost a lot of blood, so oxygen levels are low. We have her stabilised, and she's coming to. Just…give her some time to rest, she should be right as rain in a couple of days, if that.' The doctor smiled at us and headed out of the waiting room.

'Was a close call,' I uttered to Giles, who had been standing beside me as the doctor spoke to us. 'I told her, and she didn't listen.'

Giles looked at me and I looked up at him. 'Faith knows how dangerous it is. I told her that if it starts to get heavy, for both of them to back out.'

Giles removed his glasses from his face and retrieved a handkerchief from his pocket, used it to clean his lenses. All the while I watched him.

'She never listens.'

'Why are you trying to blame it on Faith, Buffy?' he started, so solemnly, as if it was an enquiry, rather than an interrogation.

'What?' I frowned. I had since wandered over to a chair and sat down, he, still standing in that same position.

'You heard her. She didn't know, she's not superwoman. She was doing what had to be done, little did she know Willow was hurt. And you told them to go out and patrol tonight, they could've stayed at mine with us, we could've gone through the books all together, patrolling could have waited.'

I sat still. 'That's not the point-'

'It's not the point because you don't want it to be the point, Buffy. Faith was doing what any of us would have done. The same thing could have happened to you, or Xander, or me. It doesn't matter. We all get hurt, someway or another. Faith is not the one to blame here.' He paused and rubbed his mouth with his fingers a moment. 'It seems to me as if you need to put your personal differences or…similarities aside, and focus, on this. Whatever it is that's standing between you two.'

'NOTHING is standing between us, Giles! It's just her, she won't listen! I told her specifically-'

'You told her specifically what she _did_, Buffy. She listened to you. I don't understand why you're so mad at her.'

'Because I should've been there!' I yelled. 'I should've been there to stop them, not her, alright?' I rose from my chair and hurried out. The fuck was up with me? Since when did I get jealous of Faith?

- - -

I hadn't noticed her leaning up against the building, clouded by smoke from her cigarette. But when she called out to me, I stopped in my footsteps, failed to turn to face her, tears streaming down my cheeks. 'I did what you asked me to, B. I don't understand why you're marking me down as such a screw-up.'

'Just leave it, Faith.' I continued walking. God, I just wanted this day to be over.

'Why are you being like this, B?' she called, and I sensed her beginning to approach me. 'Don't even _tell _me you're jealous of me and Red patrolling together?' Silence. I didn't wanna go there. 'Oh come on, Buffy, what is this? I save her and all of a sudden we're back to square one? Buffy how many times, there's nothing between us!'

I stopped and turned to face her. 'Then why do I always feel as if there's competition between Will and I? Why do I always feel as if leaving you alone with her is like…' I looked away.

'Like what, huh?' she said, her voice telling me she was frustrated.

I shifted my weight from one foot to the other and folded my arms across my chest. 'I just…I feel like I don't have you. Completely. And it…makes me jealous.'

'So you blame all that on me? Jesus Christ, B! What is this?'

'What is what?'

'This!!! You're tellin' me I've caused enough trouble, and that I should stay out of shit that wasn't even my fault! I feel like I'm getting the third degree for saving someone's life, here, B. And I don't understand why the hell you're giving me the run-around all the freakin' time we start to talk about Red. What is there to be jealous about, exactly?'

'Us,' I muttered, then shrugged.

Faith sighed and looked away for a moment, the light from a near-by lamp shade shining in her eyes. She looked back at me for a moment, her taller form meaning she had to look down slightly. I saw the confusion in her eyes and for a moment I realised how stupid I was being. One moment we were all over each other, the next I was messing her around. Being jealous of Willow. That I might…lose Faith.

She pulled me in close and just held me. Took my head in one of her hands and pressed it to her, took my waist in her other hand and just…held me. I guess that was enough to make me realise I was the one she wanted to be touching.

'If you're afraid of losing me…don't be.' I think she didn't intend to say anything more. But if she did…it got lost. I never heard her continue. Instead we just stood there. And she held me. God, I was such an idiot.

At first I didn't realise that was Giles standing in the doorway of the hospital, watching us. But I soon realised he knew I was being a fool. And for the first time ever I thought he must have known about us. And it comforted me.


	14. Truly, Faithfully, Sincerely

**Title: **Maybe, Just Maybe  
**Disclaimer: **Please don't sue. The characters I created are mine. So steal my idea, or 'borrow' without my permission, and I will be the one to sue. Other characters remain...not mine.  
**Pairings:**Buffy/Faith  
**Feedback: **Always, please =)  
**Rating: **R for adult scenes

**Note: **Once again, sorry for the lack of updates. I was really stuck with the fic, forgetting where I wanted to go with it, but then I got an idea so I got back up and running with it again. I hope you haven't lost interest! Please keep reading! I've got it back up and running again fully I'm writing like two chapters a day, so it should be good to go. Hope you're still enjoying it!

Also!!! This chapter is **not** **from Buffy's POV**, but from **Faith's POV**, and as far as I expect shall be the only one in the fic. Tell me what you think of it. I wanted to get one in here but I wanted to make something really special of it. I don't know if it completely went the way I intended but it still went. I won't keep you waiting any longer; here it is...

One more thing! I don't know if I'm the only one that's noticed, but have a look at the chapter heading. Does anyone watch Tru Calling? (Do you get it?)

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Chapter 13 

For the first time ever I believed she was jealous of me. Jealous of what apparently I had with Will. I didn't quite understand why.

Losing me, apparently. She was afraid to lose me.

I found my own way back to my motel room, that night. Told her I thought it best she went home and cleared her head. Thought some stuff out, and that I'd see her tomorrow, or whatever.

I closed the door behind me, the dull stench of the dust in the room wafting towards me. I chucked my coat on the chair in the corner of the room and headed straight for the bathroom.

Looking at myself in the mirror. I still didn't see it. She told me she was in love with the way I looked. Pretty. Apparently. No one had ever truly told me I was beautiful. Only a guy looking for a free fuck would, if it would get him the goods. He didn't mean it. They never meant it.

But her telling me she meant it gave it meaning. Meaning for me. I turned away from the mirror and headed for the shower, and turned it on, ran my hand underneath it a second.

I had scored a couple of bruises from before, as I remembered from peeling off my clothes. There they were. Although it was a pretty easy night for vamps I still had the reminder that Will would be scarred for a while.

Sometimes I wondered if I was the messed up one. Really. She got so jealous back there, it freaked me out a little. But I guess her emotions must've gotten the best of her. Normally she would be the one to have them under control.

Beads of warm water fell down my body and soothed my skin, and my hair clung to my back as the water ran through it, soaked it. I couldn't help but wonder what she was up to right now. My every thought somehow managed to go back to what B was doing, if B was thinking about me too. And here was me thinking so much about her, and there was she thinking I was thinking about Red. Not that I wasn't, Red was in bad shape, but…not in the way B thought.

Poor girl, wanting so much just to fight. Like us. But…there was so much difference between us. B, and me and Red. B and I, we're Slayers. Red's not. Never was. Won't ever be. That's the difference. She doesn't have that strength that I do, that B does. She's got strength in a completely different way. B and I are warriors…Red's not.

It just amazes me that she thinks there's something between me and Red. Not that there never would be or whatever, but…after everything we've been through.

I love Buffy.

Everything she does makes me wanna love her even more. And I do. I love her more and more everyday. Maybe I don't show her enough.

I lifted the handset and dialled her number, and then sat back in bed, chewed on my bottom lip, hoping she'd still be awake.

Just when I decided to hang up, cos she hadn't answered, the tone changed. 'Hello?' came that gorgeously gentle voice from the other end of the line.

'B,' I said, trying not to sound too surprised, naturally.

'Oh…Faith…hey…' She didn't sound too happy. I sighed and shifted on the bed a little.

'What was that tonight, B?'

There was some silence, and I think she was sitting down. 'I dunno, Faith.'

I dunno, I kinda expected her to continue. 'You calmed down now?'

I heard her sigh and I laid back in my bed. 'Yeah, I think so,' she said, sounding as if she was resolving her thoughts in her head as we spoke.

'Good.' I inhaled. 'You know you gave me a fright back there, girlfriend.'

'I know.'

I sensed she was still slightly pissed. Figures. 'Buffy?' I called, calmly.

'Yeah?' she said softly, her tone still soothing my entire form.

'I love you.'

Silence. Crap. That always freaked me out.

'Buffy?' I called, thinking now that the phone was just little too silent.

'Faith…I know. I just…I need to get some sleep.' With that, she hung up. I raised my eyebrows and looked at the phone, a little surprised she'd just hung up on me.

Round and round in my head I tried to work out if we were falling apart or not. I hadn't slept. I don't think I'd dressed myself properly. But somehow, through all the thinking about Buffy, I'd managed to get up and get changed and leave the motel and get into school.

I parked my ass on one of the benches outside of the school, hoping she'd pass through this way to get into school.

I guess I'd been sitting there near enough half an hour before I saw her approaching. She was wearing a pair of jeans with a green t-shirt and her hair was pulled back into a ponytail. She looked like she'd bothered just about as much as I had. I stood up and began heading slowly in her direction. She glanced at me, then looked back again, and smiled a little. We both came to a halt when near enough. 'Hey,' I uttered, trying to sound bothered. I really was, just….trying not to coax her or anything. Maybe she didn't even want me around.

'Hey,' she said, sounding pretty…inward.

I'd never felt so awkward with such silence between us like this. But now she was looking at me as if she wanted to apologise but was too scared to, or too…I dunno.

Turns out perhaps she did want me to stick around, because she'd pulled me round the corner, where…fewer people were, and without admonition pressed her lips to mine, very gently, for a long moment. When she pulled away I smiled.

'I'm so sorry, Faith. I've been such a bitch to you and…god, look at you,' she said, her tone softening up a lot more than it had been before.

I looked down at myself, not quite understanding what she was getting at.

'You look like you haven't slept.' Great. She thought I looked amazingly similar to a pile of smelly trash.

'I haven't,' I told her, chuckling a little on my words.

She smiled. 'Me either.' My smile faded and she gazed at me. 'I couldn't stop thinking about us.'

Hey, me either, so join the club. 'It's okay, Buffy, really it is-'

'Do you really love me?'

I paused completely, then nodded slowly. And there she was again, pressing her lips to mine, so solemnly, as if kissing a baby's forehead. When she pulled away she lingered before me, and I could not help but inhale her scent. She smelt so gorgeous…all the time. I couldn't live without that smell. I had to know it, everyday.

'I love you, Faith.' She moved a hand to my cheek and ran her fingers along it so gently.

'Really?' I said. Not that I was unsure, just…surprised to hear it this time, rather than dismissing the fact that I had said it.

She nodded, then I kissed her and she chuckled. There she was. The gorgeous girl I knew and loved. I thought I'd lost her for a while, there.

'So we're okay?' she asked me, fingers lingering at my chest, teasing me, slightly.

I nodded. 'Of course we are.' I straddled her hips and then pulled her in close and let her embrace me back.

'Good. Cos for a moment there…thought I'd lost you.'

'Why?'

'I just…I was such an idiot last night and…you just dealt with it.'

'Hmm.'

'I'm sorry, Faith. I'm the screw-up.'

'No, it's alright. We all screw-up. Just…let it go.' I held her closer and laid my chin upon her shoulder. I liked that this felt right.

I met with her at lunchtime and we went to sit on the grassy knoll outside the entrance of the school. It was really hot that day, a lot hotter than I'd expected for it to be, but bearable enough. Still we sat underneath a tree, in the shade.

'I was thinking of stopping by the hospital today, to go and see Will, wanna come?' she started, as she picked at the tiny shards of grass from beneath her.

I shrugged. 'Maybe we should get her a card or something.'

She nodded. 'That'd be nice.'

From what had happened this morning I'd have thought maybe she'd be a little more chirpy about us being together, alone, right now, but…she still seemed really thoughtful and really inward. I didn't know whether or not it was my place to say anything, a part of me felt she still blamed me for last night.

'Is everything alright?' I finally said, trying to keep my tone as gentle as possible. I had to squint because of the sun, but when she looked briefly into my eyes she flashed a quick smile. It seemed a little fake to me, but still, I guess it was something.

She shrugged as her gaze dropped back to the grass and she continued to pick at it. 'I dunno.'

I nodded and sat back, leant against the tree. 'You can talk to me, Buffy.'

She looked up at me. 'You just called me Buffy.' I smiled a little bit and I think it was contagious. 'You never call me Buffy…'

I shrugged and soon her smile faded. Something was definitely still up. 'I would've done something sooner if I'd know, Buffy, you know that.'

I noticed her eyebrows raise a moment and her lips departed as she drew in a breath. Was that sarcasm?

'Buffy, you know it wasn't my fault, we were surrounded, I did the best I could do…'

She raised a hand to me signalling me to stop simultaneously to her head nodding and I paused. 'I know, you would have Faith. It's just…' She whimpered as if stuck for the right _way _to say this, which hurt slightly. '…I dunno. I guess I'm just…' She pressed her lips together and looked out ahead, all the while my eyes fixed upon her fast-becoming-awkward form. '…Call me out of order but…it wouldn't be the first time something like this has happened and you've…' She trailed off as she looked up at me, my jaw near enough hell-met and my eyes near enough out of my head.

'Are you saying I'm careless?'

'No, I don't that, I just-'

I sat forward, my eyebrows furrowed and my face mad-painted. 'Oh, because I'm Watcher-less I have no sense? No guidance? What is it? I should've been more like you and it wouldn't have happened?'

'No, I just mean…'

I stood and began to walk away.

'Where are you going, Faith?' Buffy called as I began to walk away. I could not believe she _did_ still blame all of this on me. It wasn't even my fault. Here was me thinking _I_ had issues. It wasn't me at all.

I turned to see her beginning to follow me. 'Faith I didn't mean it like that, of course we all make mistakes-'

'Yeah, well, I'm sorry I'm not perfect, and that I mess up a little bit. You know, it's a little hard trying to save someone AND fight off evil at the same time. But of course, you're so wonderful that you could multi-task in your sleep.' I turned and continued to walk, truly pissed off. At myself for yelling at her, but also at her for still blaming this on me.

'Faith, just wait, a minute, please,' she called to me, but I continued to walk, headed out of school.

I sensed rather than saw her slow up as I continued to walk away. She knew I wasn't ready to hear what she had to say, whatever it was.

I peeked my head around the corner before entering, just in case she was asleep. It seems she was awake, though because as soon as I did I heard her utter a tired, 'Hey, Faith. Why doncha come in?'

I smiled a little upon entering and approached her, slowly. 'Hey.' I reached for a card in my back pocket and gave it to her immediately, watching her open it as I perched on the edge of her bed. 'It's nothing big.'

She read it and smiled. 'It's sweet. Thanks.'

I nodded in acknowledgement of her calling it "sweet." I think she meant the thought.

'So…' she began. 'I'm a little hazy on why I'm here…could you fill me in?'

'Oh, er…vampires. Sucked. You lost blood. Here you are.' The abridged version.

'Oh.' She seemed a little confused for a moment, before raising a finger and sucking in a breath as if to start talking about it. She frowned, letting her finger drop again. 'When did that happen?'

'Last night, we went patrolling and…' She nodded and I realised I didn't have to finish my sentence.

It seemed she was thinking a while, hard about what had happened last night. 'It's like a puzzle,' she finally uttered and I frowned.

'What is?'

'My memory. Like, a…a puzzle. Like…I-I remember, things…but…fragmented things. Like…I remember being at Gile's but I don't understand why I was there, and…and I remember walking with you and talking about…' I saw her look up at me mid-explanation and pause as if she'd been busted for something. I soon realised my eyebrows were furrowed and I think she thought I was wondering what the hell she was talking about. Either that or I was concentrating too hard on trying to understand why she had stopped talking. '…Er…where's everybody else?'

I looked around briefly, following her gaze with my eyes. 'Erm…well Giles, Xander and B are at school…'

'Oh, right, yeah I forgot.'

She sucked in a breath in the way that she did, and I watched her.

'You're probably thinking what the hell I was doing, last night, huh,' she muttered, her gaze on her fidgeting hands.

I shrugged. 'I don't know what you mean.' I offered a smile, though I think she wasn't looking for all smiles and fluff right now.

'You do. I leant in, to kiss you and you pushed me out of the way – because of the vamps, I get it. But…what if there wasn't a vamp there…'

I stayed silent, my eyes just focussing on her fidgeting hands too.

'I realise what you did was for my own safety, Faith, but, I needed to know.' I glanced up at her eyes, seeing now that they were focussed on me. I looked around the room a little, keeping myself from looking at her, until finally she reached a hand out to mine, and my eyes gravitated to it, followed by my eyes trailing back up to hers. 'I need to know, Faith. If you meant it when you kissed me before, and…I don't wanna, force you into anything or, whatever, but…I've never felt like this before.'

I swallowed, and clenched my jaw repeatedly, not sure if I should speak or not.

'I told you I had been through this emotional roller coaster and you said it was normal. Is…is _this_…normal?'

At this point her voice was so soft and pleading, I didn't know what was normal anymore. For her. I think she was honestly lost. In me? Was what was circling through my head, but…why? Why would she feel this way? I looked into her eyes, worried that she was so worried about what she was feeling.

Buffy semi-jogged through the corridor leading to the library and upon pushing the swinging door away from her to get in, she realised what all the trauma was. Giles hadn't looked this worried since he discovered the lenses of his glasses were scratched. 'Giles, I came as fast as I could, what's up?'

'I understand what it means,' he began, immediately. He had been sitting at a table, clearly researching some supernatural situation that had spirited a while ago. 'Here…tell me, what does this mean?'

She approached him and her eyes gravitated to the spot in which Gile's fingers had instructed. 'Everyone is doomed.' She looked up into his eyes, to find him looking at her. 'Er…what?'

'Remember, the er…apocalypse? That was initiated by the Erachnii?' She nodded and Giles presented her with a small photograph. 'Erachnii. I spotted one on the way home from speaking to a spirit guide. Lucky I had a camera.'

She raised an eyebrow, noticing how the demon really seemed as if it didn't pose as a threat to mankind. 'So should I go kill it?'

Giles shook his head. 'Absolutely not. Try to and it could capture you, take you to the underworld, whatever it's plans are. Where's Faith?'

She shook her head a little, all of a sudden a little more alert. 'I haven't seen her.'

'You need to inform her of this demon. Make sure she knows to keep safe. I don't want you patrolling until we've figured out a way to stop these demons-'

'You can't stop them, it's impossible.' Buffy looked towards the voice that accompanied the heels on the ground. Utterly astounded, she dropped the photograph in her hand.


	15. The Tool of Sanctimony

**Title: **Maybe, Just Maybe  
**Disclaimer: **Please don't sue. The characters I created are mine. So steal my idea, or 'borrow' without my permission, and I will be the one to sue. Other characters remain...not mine.  
**Pairings:**Buffy/Faith  
**Feedback: **Always, please =)  
**Rating: **R for adult scenes

**Note: **This chapter is from **Buffy's POV. **The last chapter was the only one from Faith's POV. Thanks for all the reviews! I really love you guys!

**Lyse: **Thanks for not losing interest after the chapter went all weird! I'm glad you're enjoying it so far!

**PhoenixJay27: **Heehee! I love cliffies! My Favourite!! I hope I kept you hanging by your fingertips! I'll think of you now whenever I write a cliffhanger. To tell the truth I didn't even realise that was a cliffhanger, lol. But then when you reviewed I went and read it and realised. Glad you're still reading!

**Crimson Darkness8: **Did you get my email? I think I sent it to you a couple of days after that review. Let me know if you did/didn't and I'll sort it out for you.

**CHo: **I'm glad you find it sweet!!! Although I was afraid people would be rolling their eyes so much at it cos it's constantly going soppy. I can't help it, I'm a sucker for the sop.

**Andi: **Hope you're still readin, babe!!! I miss you!!! LOL come back and write me more reviews!!! You excited me!

Thanks to everyone else who's reviewed, I hope you're still enjoying it! I'm trying to keep on track with updating and writing but I've been working so much lately I've hardly had the time. But this week I have a lot of free time so if I'm really on a role, I might be able to get a chunk done. We'll see. Keep reviewing/reading!!! Thanks SO much! Love you! I won't keep you waiting ANYmore! =p =) =D

* * *

Chapter 14 

I swallowed, astounded at Angel. 'Angel…I thought I'd-er…you were…with-'

He stopped, mere feet from me, seeming consumed by the information he himself was about to spill. 'You've gotta get out of here. You and Faith. As soon as possible.'

I glanced at Giles, who had risen from his chair and stood beside me. 'What? Why, I don't understand, what's…going on-'

'Red demons, Erachnii, have someway found a way out of the underworld, and are looking for you, killing any human beings they find on the way. You can't stop them, don't even try. Just get out of here. You've gotta leave.'

'Angel, we can't leave, not if these "Red Demons" are threatening to kill the entire human race, especially if they've already started-'

'They're literally invincible, Buffy, you can't kill them, you never WILL.' Angel paused and I believe I was near to fainting. Too much information for my tiny little brain. 'Listen to me. I spotted a few down at this cemetery yesterday night they were going into this crypt, I don't know what for, I just know that they were going there. I tried to follow them the best I could but I had to leave…I wouldn't stand a chance going up against one of those things.' He subconsciously licked over his lips and continued speaking. 'I suggest you try your hardest to run. You and Faith…'

'No, whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute. You want me and Faith to pack up and leave Sunnydale because a pack of "Red Demons" are gonna exterminate the entire human race? If they're spilling out everywhere then what makes you think they won't track us down? Angel, I can't _leave. _I have to stay here and fight this. That other one did. And she was alone. I have Faith. And I have you guys.' I turned to Giles who seemed as if he'd been concentrating intensely on this entire discussion. 'Giles, what do we do, do we fight them?'

'Well they're obviously planning a time to begin this apocalypse. But they need tools, ingredients, various objects.' He turned to Angel, who by now had taken a few more steps in closer to us. 'Angel, you say they were headed for a crypt?'

He nodded and Giles followed. 'Right.' He flipped a few pages in a large ancient book and when reached his destination began reading aloud. 'The Tool of Sanctimony. Designed to summon some of the deadliest forces of the Underworld. They perform a simple yet enormously powerful ritual in which begins to transform this Earth in mere minutes of the ritual having been complete. Erachnii sacrifice multiple human beings' blood by draining them into the Tool of Sanctimony – an offering to the forces. The ritual is performed on the seventh day of the seventh month of what to them is the seventh revolutionary year…for seven of the deadliest forces.'

'Great. So I have to find this "Tool of Sanctimony" thingy…destroy it, AND stop these things from performing an "all hell shall break loose" ritual in…ooh, gee, five days…'

Angel reached out to take a look at the text Giles had been reciting from and I caught a glimpse of the concentration on his face as he began to read it. I paced back and forth the spot I'd been standing in, getting a little too worried to be able to stand still.

'Wonderful. That's just…great,' I mumbled to myself, my words lost as soon as they were told.

'Buffy, you must get Faith immediately. I want you to stay in each other's company – don't let her out of your sight. I mean it. These demons will most certainly not think twice before taking you,' Giles explained to me, his tone worryingly anxious throughout.

I'd been nervously chewing on my lip throughout that, however. How was I supposed to get Faith to _willingly _move in with me when we weren't even talking?

* * *

'Ah…ah…ah!!!' Faith shrieked as her eyes focussed on the ceiling before her and she respired double, maybe even triple time.

I climbed the length of her, trailing kisses up along her naked skin until I reached her chin. 'So you'll stay?' I asked, trying my utmost to be innocent with my voice, albeit slightly ashamed, knowing that the tension between us most probably still lingered, even if it was just a little bit. I tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and kissed the spot in which it had been.

She hummed throatily for a moment or so, sarcastically contemplating my words. 'Hmm. Might take a _leetle _more persuasion…' she quipped, and we both chuckled, as I lay back in the space beside her on the comforter.

'Faith, you were screaming less than five minutes ago, and if I remember correctly, the only other time I made you scream like that was when I-' I began snaking my fingers down her body, touching ever so lightly.

'Alright, alright, I'll stay.' I saw the shit-eating grin slapped across her face and I left that to the assumption that she was thinking about that time when I…let's just say…unbearable amounts of pleasure, but…I won't bore with details.

I snuggled in close to her neck, just inhaling her scent for a few moments, then I looked up at her, seeing that her eyes were now closed, a warm smile settled on her lips. 'I'm sorry, baby,' I whispered, my tone naïvely informing her of my apology that was one-hundred per cent earnest.

She nodded, her eyes remaining closed. 'S'ok.'

I thought about what I'd said for a moment. 'No, really, I was _way _out of order to you. I was being so selfish and I was pissy about everything that I just disregarded your feelings.' I looked up at her again. 'Your feelings matter the most to me, Faithy.'

She craned her neck slightly to look down at me looking up at her. 'Really?'

All at once I was reminded of the sexy, intoxicating coolness of her tone, indeed a lot more matured than my own; deeper, gravely, gorgeously alluring. '_Really, _Faith.'

I listened to the lack of sound until she began to speak, and once again it was that enticing, sexy…'Some of the things you say really make me hot and horny _all, over, again._'

I didn't have a chance to reply to that because she'd begun exploring my mouth with hers. That beauty extended _so _goddamned far beyond her voice. The way she kissed me, touched me, breathed on me, rocked with me, lay with me, came with me.

She was my Faith. And I was never going to let her go. Not for the world. I loved her so much. And after Angel, I didn't think I'd be able to love that way again…give myself again, at such a young age. But I fell for her. And here she was, fingers buried to the hilt of me, making me sweat, shiver and scream, stroking my sex the only way I wanted it to be. There was no other person for me. Only her.

_I'm yours, Faith. And I love you so much._

* * *

Giles leant back against the front of his couch, and took a look at all of the material surrounding him. He reached for his mug of tea and drank from it, eyes still focussing on material he'd cross-referenced with this, that and most definitely the other.

Replacing his drink on the side table, he glanced at the clock. Two thirty-six AM. And he hadn't gotten far. "Ancient" ancient texts and "recent" ancient texts had one thing in common. They were both ancient, thus…difficult to understand. Very rarely did you find translations of translations.

He extended his arms sideways, stretching the muscles out, simultaneously to yawning. He was tired. And this was definitely one of the most difficult tasks he'd faced as a Watcher.

The Council had been working on it also, although they hadn't gotten very much further than Giles.

I closed my eyes and used my sense of touch to feel her spreading kisses along my body, leaving a tingling sensation upon which for my nerves to feast. The sex was so empowering, overwhelming, ceaseless, and the fact that Faith was giving it to me felt even more so, all of these things. She was so indomitable, painfully (in the good sense) powerful, and slow…so very…very slow.

There were moments I believed so much energy encompassed us that my climaxes were more dynamic than the preceding. All because of her. And me. And the connection. _Our _connection.

He yawned into his hand as his other held a text inches from his face and his eyes scanned deeply across each line, searching for clues, for information, for anything that might be useful. Anything at all. Phrases, passages, chapters. References. Whatever it was, he searched with his eyes, as tired, and paining as they were; he kept at it.

He squinted, then reached for the "Machmachra" and mumbled to himself as he thumbed through pages, until finally. Something.

He'd found a picture of what looked like a potential "tool."

Once again she was rocking to my fingertips and I was concurrently rocking to hers, her body a top mine, the heat of her bunking up my own body temperature. I let her pace quicken according to her own desire - if she wanted it slow, she would go slow with me, and fast? She'd go even SLOWER. Unbearably slow, a torturous pace. Give it three freaking strokes and I was slowly but goddamned surely there. Bucking hips, arching backs, feral moans and desperate whimpers…skin on skin. That mere connection. The solution? Hard and fast – again and again. The Slayer's Way.

He marked down pages and then closed the books, one by one, yellow post-its evidence of his long, pain-staking task. But for now, he was finished.

He lay back, in the centre of his bed, his arms folded upon the duvet that covered him. Eyes bolted open (possibly fastened), dawn threatening to…dawn. Finally, he could rest.

Or not.

* * *

Will. Angel. Me. Faith. Giles. Xander. Oz. There we all were. Sat, in the library, the hours moving closer and closer to midnight. A piece of information each, that we all needed to know.

Willow raised her text and licked over her lips, almost ready to start reading. The room contained an almost awkward atmosphere, each piece of information more daunting than the other. We all had to let each other know. And it had to be now. What we knew, we had to share. What we didn't, we wanted to hear. But with a silenced passion, we also didn't want to know.

Willow glanced around at the various eyes, fixated on her, knowing that she was first to read. After letting it back down into her lap, she raised it, looked at its words and inhaled, shakily. She began reading. Followed by Xander. Then Faith. Oz read his passage; then Willow continued on from him. Then Faith began, and then Angel, and then me. And Faith. Each word more ominous than the other, we continued to read until we'd finished.

Then the deathly silence followed.

Giles exhaled, both loudly and silently at the same time. He uncrossed his legs and sat forward, looked around us all seated at the one table in the school library. 'We've all worked together as a team ever since Buffy came to Sunnydale. And we've been a team ever since. Together we've learned, trained and fought. Each time we've had a difficult task ahead…we've fought. We've succeeded. And still we persist…' He took a deep breath, his words so empowering that I know I was compelled to listen to his words yet to come. 'I haven't trained you for this long for you to back out now,' he continued, sombreness being the key to his fine personality.

I cleared my throat, nodding in agreement to his words. I looked across into his eyes, and saw them, unwavering, so very still, so very…sure. 'You're absolutely right.'

'There'll be no backing out,' Faith began. She looked to the rest of the guys. 'If I have to die to save any one of you guys, I'll do it. It's my job.'

'No,' Will interrupted, her voice solemn, sincere as Faith's. 'It's _our_ job. We're in this together.'

'Every single one of us,' Xander reinforced, a certain amount of solemnity present in his usually chirpy tone.

Faith nodded, the appreciation clear in her expression, and beneath the table, she sandwiched my hand in hers, that anxiety flowing through me as it was through her also.

'Okay,' Giles continued as he stood from the wooden chair, and circled it, before beginning to pace, back and forth. 'This is bigger than ANYTHING we've ever done before. It's first and foremost, one of the most dangerous apocalypses we've ever faced. And it happens…in four days time.' He removed his glasses from his face and looked down into a drawing upon the table we were seated around.

'The Crypt. That tool that they will need is here. I'm not certain where exactly it is, but I know that it's somewhere in this Crypt. Willow, I've collected together a few things for a locator spell; can you do it?'

She nodded immediately. 'I've done it a couple of times before, it's worth a shot. Although the conflicting energies might disallow me to find it. It might come up blank, or it might come up with too many possible energies that could be the tool. Do you have any idea how large this thing is?'

Giles scrunched one side of his face a moment, shaking his head at the same time. 'I'm not completely sure. It could be the size of a locket, or the size of this Hellmouth. I simply do not know.'

We all nodded and silence followed.

'I've been drawing up possibilities, eliminating the areas I think are least likely. It's most likely heavily guarded, so we'll have to figure out a way to go in protected, without them knowing,' Giles explained, pointing to the circled points he'd made.

'But if you say this thing could be as large as the Hellmouth itself, then how exactly are we going to get it away from them?'

'Disintegrating spell, and this potion. It won't be easy. But if we're to succeed, we must try. Four of us, to draw upon the four elements.'

'Who's gonna do it?' Xander asked.

Each one of us knew our position, our strengths. And knew who we were, above all. 'Well I have to conduct the spell, so count me in,' Willow stated, a hand outstretched towards her book on the table.

'I've got cosmic connections. I'm in,' Angel confirmed, letting his book down onto the table and then sitting back into his chair, leaning his chin into his palm, resting his elbow upon the arm of the chair.

Faith sighed and sat forward, having been playing with the hem of my tee, now clasping her hands together as her elbows leant against the arms of the chair. 'Slayer. I got cosmic connections too.'

That left me. 'Connections within the whole group. We'd be inter-connected, right. I mean, Angel, I killed you, Willow brought you back, Faith and I, Slayers in existence together. Willow's a Witch…'

'Yes, that's a hell of a lot of supernatural energy, the deities will most definitely be astounded,' Giles added.

'And plus with the more energy there is, the more likely it is to work,' Angel concluded.

Willow started. 'That means we gotta charge up. I know it might sound silly, but-'

'Meditate. Astral Project, draw from other energies, charge up the charkas, whatever energy we can find. It'll reinforce the strength, the powers, blow them away,' Angel explained.

'If we focus on charging specific energies, drawing on the four elements should be easier. For example, Angel if you concentrate on fire, me, water, Faith, air and Buffy, Earth, we should all be able to connect with that specific element and make it easier to summon. I'm not saying those specific elements assigned to that specific person, but just as an example.'

'No, it works well, Will. So, how do we go about getting this energy?' Faith enquired, retained that same position as before. She began to sink back into her chair, leaning in close to me, and soon leaning against me. She grasped my hand again and almost immediately I could feel that anxiety again.

Willow shrugged. 'It's up to you. Balancing charkas, consulting spirit guides, animal guides, going to that specific place through meditation, gathering that cosmic energy in whatever way best for you. Buffy, if you're taking Earth, try meditating in the garden, try placing your hands on the grass firmly and feel the energy drawing into you. Faith, if you're taking air, do the same, use the garden, inhale the fresh air and concentrate on how that oxygen drawing into your body can be stored away for supernatural purposes.'

'Okay, but I'm not being funny, I'm not particularly a big fan of fire,' Angel chimed in.

Xander smiled. 'What with you being un-dead and all.'

Willow chuckled. 'How about I take fire, you take water? Go to the ocean, sit in it.'

Giles nodded, having been quietly observing the discussion. 'Wonderful. I'll be working on that spell, which is in Latin, you're all okay with that?' We nodded and he proceeded. 'Four days is all we have. We need to focus. Concentrate. Do whatever it is you must do, but for the love of God, be careful with it. For your own sake.' He drew in a well and truly deserved breath of air and began cleaning his glasses. As he concentrated, we all looked at each other.

Then. The dreaded question. 'When do we go?' I asked Giles, still cleaning his glasses. He looked up from them, focussing first on the space ahead of him, then, each one of us.

He sighed loud and replaced his glasses on his face. He slid his hands into the pockets of his trousers, and looked up. 'We will go to the Tachra Taa, in three days time.'

I watched as everyone around me began to disperse, close books, tidy up. They'd go about their business, being to do what had to be done.

In four days time, we have to fight the most difficult war we'd come across in our entire lives. These were the lives at risk; the entire world. We were the front-runners. We could all die. Some of us already had. Who knows.

Who knows.

* * *

Willow.

Erachnii. One of the Deadliest species of pure bred Demon. They, for hundreds of centuries have worked with the First Evil, serving where best they could. Recent victory came when they came this close to exterminating the entire human race.

Xander.

The Slayer. Strongest human force on the planet managed to work with few remaining humans on the planet to restore natural activity and peace where possible. She sent the Erachnii underground where they were banished for eternity. They vowed that one day they would rise again.

Faith.

Following this vow, the Tool of Sanctimony was stolen from them by a good witch, who sent it to a protected place above land, where Erachnii could not reach it.

Oz.

That place is right here, in Sunnydale. The Tachra Taa. The Crypt by the cemetery right on the edge of town.

Willow.

Erachnii strive to find new ways of obtaining back the tool, each time unsuccessful, as the good witch protected it from then with some of the strongest white magic.

Faith.

The Tool of Sanctimony remained protected for the next five thousand years, never to be touched by them again.

Angel.

But come the Seventh minute of the Seventh day of the Seventh month of the Seventh Revolutionary year, they shall try once again to exterminate the human race, and render apocalypse on Earth. For Seven Deadly Forces, known as the sins. Pride, Envy, Gluttony, Lust, Wrath, Avarice and Sloth.

Me.

The Slayer. To each Generation a new Slayer is born. And Erachnii want her.

Faith.

But what happens when there's not one…but two?


	16. Being the World, Pt 1:In Three Days Time

**Title: **Maybe, Just Maybe  
**Disclaimer: **Please don't sue. The characters I created are mine. So steal my idea, or 'borrow' without my permission, and I will be the one to sue. Other characters remain...not mine.  
**Pairings:**Buffy/Faith  
**Feedback: **Always, please =)  
**Rating: **R for adult scenes

* * *

Chapter 15

Each of us had dispersed, going back to our homes, going about our business, beginning these so called "set tasks" to enable us to defeat this next apocalypse.

The words exchanged became precious; the looks even more so. Oz went with Willow, not before she told us all to be careful. And the look upon her face; pure anxiety. She was scared. We all were.

I squeezed Faith's hand still, as we walked back to my house, and once again, the words were few, the looks were fewer, but the ones that spirited…I kept in mind. I dared not let them slip.

And Angel. He walked alone.

To the ocean. As Willow said…I'd wondered why he was back here, with us. After everything. But if this was what he wanted to do, where he wanted to be. I couldn't stop him. Bless him.

Some might think he was the loneliest creature upon the earth, facing the ocean as if it were pure oxygen. Nothing to him. But as he began strolling through it, the other end of the beach a pitch black, the moon a full shining beam, he breathed. Unneeded oxygen. He drew those elements in. They were at his feet and in his hair. And he acknowledged them, as the water drenched his clothes and the air challenged his need for survival. Day seemed so far away, and he seemed to take each second at a time. It was that important.

* * *

We'd never done this before, but every second was crucial to my knowledge. I had to absorb it, I had to know what I was doing. Similarly for her, I think every second counted, as she led me to the bathroom, as we stood before each other, as she removed each item of clothing from me, and I, her.

As I stepped into the shower, and she followed, and again, we stood…for some reason she was crying. I couldn't see the tears, but I could hear the whimpers, through the swooshing of the rushing water from the showerhead. She outstretched her arms before her, to lean against the tiling of the shower, and behind her I was standing, watching. I stepped towards her, and tentatively as I could, embraced her, one arm at a time, until finally, she was within me. I tried as hard as I could to listen to her sobs calming, but they seemed to continue. _She would die for us. _Before I would've excused her as being scared inside; and that she would never show her fear…but here…she broke down as if there would be no tomorrow. This was it. And soon I began sobbing. I understood why she was crying and it started me.

What if we didn't make it.

Were we strong enough to not get dead?

Ever wonder who would be next?

* * *

Each flame as delicate as the other, more silent and more secluded, they burned. Each candle, creating it's own light, shone, and she was surrounded by every single one. And as the words emitted from her mouth and she sat cross legged upon the floor in which the candles also did, she closed her eyes. Dozens and dozens of that specific element surrounded her, and she shone with them, her chanting raising the flames, empowering them, testing their own potential. And as they rose, she did too. And as they diminished, she settled.

* * *

I don't think catatonic was the correct word however she became that closed. I pulled a tee above her head and through her arms, and let her slide on the pair of shorts that had come from my draw. And as she sat upon my bed she stared. Blankly. I sat in front of her and reached for her hand, noticing her eyes gravitating to it once I did.

'All this…' she began. 'It's so much.' She looked up at me, her voice more solemn than I'd ever known for it to be. 'I thought Kaskistos was a bet.'

I chuckled a little and that soon faded when I saw her lack of expression. 'Yeah.' I drew in a breath and looked at her watching me. 'You're unbelievable, you know that?'

She huffed and blinked, tiredly, taking her gaze from me. 'Yeah, sure.'

'I'm serious. That comment back in the library?' I started, pointing my thumb in a direction.

She looked back to me and I smiled. 'Remember…when we talked about who might be next?' I licked over my lips and she watched me still.

Finally, after what seemed like a few minutes she sighed. 'Can we not do this, right now?'

'Faith, this is HUGER than anything we've ever faced.' I inhaled and exhaled, before moving a hand to push stray hair from her face. 'But I think you're strong enough not to get dead. More importantly? Not to get any of us dead, either. You did what had to be done with Will and I'm so glad you were there. What would've happened if you weren't?'

She scoffed. 'Geez, B, pressure much…'

I chuckled and she did too, and that made me smile even more. 'I can't wait to see the eighth of July.' She raised an eyebrow and shrugged resignedly. 'But I'm gonna…' I trailed off, looking at her, an at how there was a lack of her eyes on me. She was beat. That was for sure. Mentally. I think she'd had enough for one day. 'And you are too.'

She looked up into my eyes one more time, a few seconds gracing us with silence, before she got up and followed the bed round to her side. She sat upon it once again, her back facing me. Then there was more silence and I sighed at her dismissal of my words.

'I'm _so _scared, Buffy.' More silence. I turned a little looking at her slouched form, before getting up also, and crossing the room to the desk, where I saw that notebook I'd been taking note of my dreams.

'Faith, I'm terrified,' I told her, my voice little above a whisper, and as I turned to her, I noticed how she honestly looked as if she was about to resign. She looked so tired.

'What if I fail?' Her voice sounded so tiny, so…finished, and a part of me was scared she didn't think she had the strength to do this.

'"What if…" What if is a possibility. But Faith…we all consider the "what ifs" and "buts" of every single difficult situation. We have to, otherwise we might never realise what _could _be coming. What if…I break my leg and fall down the stairs tomorrow…'

'Touch wood,' she interrupted.

'…What if I get sick and can't fight? What if is always gonna be something that's stuck in the back of our minds. All of us. But we try our hardest to stop them from happening cos they knock on our worst fears.' I paused, watching how she was motionless throughout this. 'You know you can do this, Faith. And being afraid is something you can use. Take fear, take anxiety and like you said; you wanted to find a way of putting all of that wasted energy to use; use it NOW. Use it in three days time, when it's needed. Focus on getting it beat up the right way. Get it. Use it. Be strong. WIN.' I hadn't realised how much I needed to take a breath then, but as I inhaled deep I saw her look to me, and the light from outside caught her face.

'Is that how you do it?' she asked, her voice still sounding so weak, so beat up, so vulnerable.

I crossed the room to her, slowly, gently, and perched upon the edge of the bed once there, a knee beneath my body, my hands pressed to the bed. I settled and sighed. 'Willow taught me how. I tried…once…it hurt…cos…I had to…' I squinted and looked down into my palms. '…Kill Angel.'

'Oh…'

'It hurt. But it _worked_. Something got me through it, and I'm guessing _that_. But Faith, it's not about the energy. It's about _you. _You already have the power to do this. It's just a matter of doing it now. You're strong. Strong enough not to get dead. And whether or not you're scared, or worried, or fed up, tired…You're not gonna fail. You're gonna…' I began to smile. '…Prevail…' I told her as I stretched a hand out in front of me, knowing she would watch it and probably laugh at me. Which she did.

'C'mere.' She pulled me close to her and hugged me and we both chuckled. 'Thanks,' she said as she held me.

I nodded. 'No problem.'


	17. Being the World, Pt 2:In Two Days Time

**Title: **Maybe, Just Maybe  
**Disclaimer: **Please don't sue. The characters I created are mine. So steal my idea, or 'borrow' without my permission, and I will be the one to sue. Other characters remain...not mine.  
**Pairings:**Buffy/Faith  
**Feedback: **Always, please )  
**Rating: **R

* * *

Chapter 16

The sun was just about setting for today, and after much discussion, I'd sent my mom away, in fears of losing her to those demons. She agreed to call every night, and I appreciated that she was safe, away from THIS hell. She called, letting me know she was boarding a plane to New York. She was going to stay with old friends she'd known from when we used to live there. Thank God.

I put down the receiver and gazed into the space in front of me. Tonight we were contacting the guy who had written the "Machmachra," and everyone was collecting various ingredients, looking at various materials. We'd been talking, meditating, pretty much spending the day together at mine, just figuring out how to further our plan.

I thought I was alone in my mom's room until I heard that sensual voice communicate with me, and as I heard it, I turned to face it. 'You know what my mom would say if she was still alive?' she began, and I watched her beautiful form, leaning against the doorframe in nothing more than jeans and a white turtleneck sweater. I loved the way it looked on her.

I shook my head slowly, and she proceeded to entering the room. 'She would tell me that I would amount to all I'd ever proved I could be in life.' She sat down on the end of the bed and I approached her, and soon found comfort in front of her on the carpet at the foot of the bed. 'Know what she said that was?'

I shook my head, my every thought focussed upon hearing what she was going to say. 'Nothing.' She shook her head, her eyes beginning to glaze over as I imagined he re-living that moment her mother had told her those words.

I moved a hand to grasp hers, most of her hand engulfed by the sleeve of the sweater. She looked straight into my eyes, their purity piercing every inch of me. 'You know what?' She blinked and a smile came to my face. 'You're everything. To me.'

She rolled her eyes away from me and huffed. 'You don't have to do this-'

'No, Faith, I mean it. You mean EVERYTHING to me.' I reached up and pushed back a curl from her forehead. 'Your eyes. You look at me...and I just...I feel the whole world is watching me. But they make me feel important. Your voice. I hear it and everything I ever doubted, I'm sure of because I'm sure of you. Your lips. Every time they touch me, I feel SO loved. You can touch me anywhere and I'm excited by it; by you. And I'm greedy because I always want more. And I feel deprived when you're not touching me. But at the same time I feel so lucky to have you. No one listens to me the way that you do. And no one understands me the way that you do. Not even Angel. And...I don't want that...YOU...to _ever _fade away.

'Faith...I see the world in your eyes. I see mountains higher than Everest and oceans deeper than the Pacific. I love who you are so much because you're full of all of the emotions I've ever wanted to experience, and you can tell stories with your senses. I try to block out senses and you always seem to re-awaken them within me. So your mother may not have loved you, or thought anything of you, but that's because she never saw what I can see...and hear...and touch, and smell...' By this time she had cried, laughed. I shushed her. 'You know what I see? I see a wonderful woman. I see the world in you, Faith. You're my world. And I love that.'

She smiled coyly and entangled her fingers within mine. She knelt down in front of me and moved in and wrapped her arms around me and I wrapped my arms around her shoulder, pulling her in close to me. 'Remember when I said I wanted to love you?' Faith began.

I smiled, leaning my head upon her shoulder. 'Yeah...'

'Well...I love you, Buffy. God, I love you s_o _much.' I smiled and held her tighter. 'I can see oceans in you, too. And mountains...and all that other crap that you said. But it all melts away when I realise that all I need is you. And I feel so fucking nervous because I have that.' She inhaled and I felt her heart beating against me, relaxed as it was. 'You are my world.'

At the door Willow stood, having been sent to get us, so we could start this séance. But as she stood at the doorway, she smiled, just absorbing what her eyes were telling her.

- - -

Once again we were united around that same circle that conjured the spirits of the authors of those ancient books. Willow once again recited some words, Giles, Faith and myself stood around the circle, whilst Angel, Xander and Oz sat back and watched.

As he materialised, I drew in a breath, quietly muttering, 'Here we go,' to Faith, who raised her eyebrows momentarily.

It only took us moment to realise that this time there were two spirits, one of which we'd conjured before. 'It has come to my attention that the Erachnii shall enforce apocalypse upon the world in three days time.'

I looked at Giles, who urged for me to speak. I cleared my throat and looked at the spirit, who once again had that eye-piercing, intimidating glare about him. 'Yeah.'

The other spirit (the one from before) began to speak. 'It is utterly imperative that you stop this, he stated, looking at me, then at Faith.

'We're trying all we can. It's just that we're unsure of what we're doing. The clues you left us are so hard to understand, we barely understand them and that's just us two. Giles, our Watcher, well he...he's been trying all he can-'

'Where is this "Giles?"' the other, older, shorter one asked.

Faith pointed. 'He's right behind you.'

The spirits both turned, Giles looking a little intimidated by them. 'What have you discovered?'

'The specific time, and date of the apocalypse. The tool they use for it, and where it is. We found that we needed a spell to reverse the tool, to disintegrate it. We think we know what we have to do.'

The younger one spoke. 'Good. Except for the spell...requires power and strength, do you have that?'

Giles inhaled. 'We'd like to believe so. We've tried charging ourselves, preparing for the ritual.'

'It seems you know what you have to do.' They both turned to me, and I inwardly cursed for that. They were so freaking creepy-looking. 'IF, however, the ritual does not perform in the way you expect, do not worry...with a damaged tool the Erachnii shall retreat. The transformation cannot begin if they cannot use the tool. It is what keeps them above ground; de-activates that powerful tool that keeps them from living above ground. Destroy it the best you can. But do not try to fight Erachnii.'

The other one continued. 'Imagine the possibilities. The tool destroyed for good. The Erachnii will retreat. Proved nearly invincible, these creatures shall continue to try. But without this tool it is impossible for them to complete the transformation above ground and exterminate every living human being. They will never be able to try again. Not without a guaranteed fail.' He looked towards the other spirit, who nodded at his thought.

'You say...transformation...' Giles began and they turned to him. 'What transformation?'

'The transformation of the Earth. It becoming suitable for them to live on. You see, the tool of Sanctimony reflects the tool of the Dedicated; used by us to reflect their energy to enable them to live upon the earth. But as long as the tool of Sanctimony is being used, the Dedicated cannot overpower it. Allow this to happen and you shall be lost. You...along with the rest of the world.'

With that, they both disappeared. I sighed and rubbed my hands together. 'So we have two tools to put right now?'

Giles nodded. 'I'll start looking at what I can for this Dedicated thing, maybe it's in that book.'

'I'll help you, maybe I can translate it,' Faith said as she moved away from the circle. I remained, just thinking, and Willow also. Who I hadn't noticed had been watching me for a while. The rest followed out of the room and I began to clean up the candles and what not from the séance.

I heard Willow sigh and begin helping me clear out the items. 'So two days, huh,' she began. I glanced over at her and nodded.

'Two days. Then, in three we fight...maybe...'

'Yeah, if that spell doesn't work,' she continued. I sighed a little.

'Hopefully we won't have to worry about that.' I placed the items down on the table and wiped the debris on my trousers, and watched as Willow pretty much did the same.

'Yeah...hopefully.' She smiled to herself and looked around. 'I, er...I actually wanted to tell you something,' she began, her voice gentle calming as it always had been. Less edgy than usual, however. She seemed so serene, tired almost. I wouldn't blame her. We all were. We were all sleep-deprived, awake on coffee, or adrenaline (or the other stimulant), scared. Unnervingly edgy about all of this. 'If we don't make it through...'

'Will, we-'

'No, just...let me finish.' She took in a deep breath. 'You're my best friend, and...I love you. Thanks...for everything. For being my friend and...putting up with me and...letting me fight with you.'

I just stood back a moment, absorbing every word she'd just said to me. Her eyes were welling up with tears that I think were threatening to fall. 'Willow...'

'I just always wanted to be there. Part of something, you know? I never imagined it would be like this, though, you know?'

'What?'

'The end. I can't say how I imagined my life to be, but...I think I've lived a bit more than I expected to at this age.' She inhaled. 'And you gave me that, Buffy.' I felt a tear challenge another for my chin, and she smiled timidly upon finishing her sentence.

I pulled her in for a hug and she sobbed a little, and I did too. 'I love you too, Will.' I held her head a little before grasping her shoulders, tears well and truly falling from my eyes now.

I had spoken to Faith about how this wouldn't be the end for us. But what if it was? I'd never thought properly, "What IF we don't make it?" And now, with Willow...I'd begun to think about it. She reviewed the possibilities, and I couldn't believe how much fear I could see in her eyes. She was so strong, though. And I saw that in her eyes, too. An unbelievable amount.

'We have to make it,' I whispered into her ear, and she sniffled.

'I hope we make it, just so I can see the look on our faces when we do,' she told me as we both pulled back. I moved a hand to her cheek and she held my hand above it. 'We have to do this,' she concluded.

I nodded, and was thankful for a moment's peace. 'Do you think crying is a waste of energy?'

She chuckled and I released my hand from her face.

- - -

The cool breeze of the outdoors provided an almost perfect setting for us, as we all stood at our respective points. I begun speaking, a rolling sentence of Latin emitting from my mouth. I was astounded at how the words fit together so well. Somehow they made sense. Then Faith followed...Willow, then Angel. And then we all went together, and as we joined hands a bright white light engulfed us, a quick flash circling us, creating a circle. I could feel the power flowing through me, and I could see it flowing through everyone else. I could see the red energy surrounding Willow, and the grey energy surrounding Faith, and the blue energy surrounding Angel. The bright white light encircled us so much, flowed through us so much that I could feel everyone else's bodies against mine. I could see everyone's sped up breathing, the power slightly overwhelming. Then finally, the energy threw us apart, and as we broke the chain, the power shot up towards the sky, before dissolving.

There we all lay, scattered about the garden, the circle too much energy for us to be able to maintain. I straightened out, and so did everyone else. And as I looked around, immediately I saw the expressions upon everyone else's faces. Anxiety. Fear. Determination. All of those emotions rolled into one. We all wanted to do this, but we were all scared, worried...but over all, determined. Driven. By the fact that we wanted to save this world.

I followed Willow inside who seemed as if she'd begun a mission to find something, or someone. Figures that mission was to find Giles, because soon she was calling for him, and as Angel and Faith followed closely behind us, I worried that they were wanting to talk to him about the same thing we were talking about. 'Giles!' she called again, and soon he came down the stairs.

'What is it, Willow, did something happen?' he asked, his voice genuinely apprehensive.

She followed him as he headed through into the dining room and we all seated ourselves around the table. 'Something most definitely happened. Energy alright. I've never...ever seen energy like that in all of the rituals I've ever done. This is larger than anything I've ever seen. More importantly, we've got too much power.'

'Too much?' Faith chimed in.

She nodded. 'SO much that we can't sustain it.'

Silence. Everyone was contemplating her words. 'Giles, what do we do, how do we get this under control?' I asked him.

We all watched him for a moment as he thought about it. 'Keep trying. Practise. Practise again and again.'

'But isn't this draining us of the energy we have?' Angel asked, seeming a little concerned that what he'd enquired was true.

Willow thought. 'Well...kind of, but...'

'We've somehow learned how to channel that energy through us, therefore what we have doesn't matter, we can draw it from anywhere,' I began, a little amazed that I just knew this, right off the bat.

'You're right. It doesn't matter that we don't HAVE, have that energy because we can draw it from anywhere. Everything is linked. The chair to the ground, my feet to the ground, to the trees, the water, the air, I'm connected to you, and that's how it works. So, in answer to your question Angel...no.'

'Right, so...' Faith began again. 'Do we try again?'

We all exchanged looks before rising from our seats and heading for the back garden again, only difference being Giles came with us. 'I'll note the activity, see if I can help in any way.'

'Did you find anything on the Dedication yet?' I asked him.

He nodded. 'All we need to know is there. Pretty much what they told us. I'll inform everyone later. Tomorrow. It'll be alright.'

'Okay,' I told him, and headed out for the circle again.

There we stood again, in the same places, at our north, at our south, at our east and at our west. At our respective points. And I began. Then Faith. Willow...and Angel. And it started again. The energy rose as before, and this time I could see what Willow meant. I could see it drawing up from the earth, into us. And not just the earth, I could see it diffusing into Faith from the air, and I looked up, saw the rain begin to fall, and as the droplets fell to us, they fell into us. I could see the blue gleaming, the droplets shining, and as I held hands with Faith, and held hands with Angel, I could feel their elements engulfing them, the power consuming them. I wondered if they could feel that with me.

And then I realised something...as the white circle shot around us, again and again...we weren't just absorbing energy...we were creating it. I looked around us and could see a ring of fire beginning to follow us round, just as the white circle did, only larger...and the rain...the breeze.

And as Giles stood back, he furrowed his eyebrows, and removed his glasses. His lower lip hung and he looked astounded at what we were doing. Then it happened again. We flew apart. The rain stopped, the wind, the fire disappeared.

I looked across at Giles, who had begun to walk towards us. 'What do we do?' we all straightened out and waited for his reply.

After much thought, he replied. 'Focus. Concentrate. Concentrate on how much power you're channelling...' He seemed a little...off-beat and I reached out to him.

'You alright, Giles? You look a little...'

'It's just that...' He looked into the space before us for a moment. Then looked to me. 'I've never seen anything so powerful in my entire life,' he concluded with a little bit of a modest smile.

- - -

Everyone had decided to stay at mine for the duration of the apocalypse...just so that we had more time to collect ideas, practise, what not.

So I'd given Willow my bedroom, Giles the spare room, and Xander the fold-out bed in my room. I gave Angel a sleeping bag in Gile's room, but he said he'd take the couch.

I closed my mom's bedroom door and crossed the room to the bed, where I stripped off my clothes and changed into my night wear. I heard the door click shut again and I looked over my shoulder to see who it was. 'You never said where I could sleep,' Faith mused as she approached me. I smiled and continued pulling the cami over my head.

'You can take...the floor...' I joked, and I felt her wrap her arms around my waist, then inhale against my neck, and kiss the skin there.

'Hmm,' she said, low in her throat, before sliding round me and jumping onto the bed. 'So...that thing tonight...some pretty powerful stuff, huh?'

I nodded as I folded my clothes and placed them in a pile on the chair across the room. 'Amazing stuff.'

I joined her on the bed, folding my legs over one another and taking both of her hands in mine. 'Think we could do it now?'

She scoffed. 'Well, B, you're usually a little more subtle, but I guess you have your ways, you know,' she started and I playfully hit her on the upper arm.

'That's not what I mean, dumbass,' I said with a laugh, and she laughed also. 'I mean that thing that we just did out there. With Will and Angel. Think you and me could do that, just the two of us?'

'Like...now?' she said.

I nodded. 'Let's try.'

'But it wouldn't work without the other two,' she told me, and I grasped her hands again.

'Let's give it a try.' I cleared my throat and shuffled a little as she did the same. 'Just...close your eyes.'

I began speaking those same words from outside, and immediately I could feel the energy beginning to muster. Then Faith spoke, and I began to feel her energy flowing through me. And as we held hands, the energy grew, flowed, and flowed, and flowed. When I opened my eyes, it was not what I had expected. Purple. Just continuous purple. Then the white. The white orbs that surrounded us outside. I thought about it for a moment, then decided to try telepathy.

I tried thinking. Thinking the command. _Open your eyes, Faith. _It astounded me when she did, because of when she did. Immediately after I'd thought about it. _Did you hear that? _She nodded, and I smiled. _You try. _

I watched her eyes and she smiled also. _You look so hot in that shirt. _That would be my Faithy.

_This is weird..._I started. _Faith...can you see this purple light too? _She nodded and I my smile began to fade, as did hers. _I think this is a new kind of element._

_You mean you and me? _I listened to how her words echoed into my mind. _That's because of who we are. It's really warm, you feel it too? _I nodded.

I never knew that we could raise this much energy, just by words, and thinking and focussing. This much energy. And what Giles had said...the most powerful thing he'd ever seen. He believed in us. That gave me strength.

I didn't hear the knock at the door, or the door opening, but as I gazed into Faith's eyes, and she gazed back into mine, her brown eyes gleaming from so light, that was all I wanted to know.

Across the room Willow stood, her eyes agape...her mouth agape-r. She brought a hand to her mouth to cover, and clutched at the doorframe as her eyes told her a story of the Slayer's Power.

She stepped back out of the room, closing it as she went. 'Oh my god...'


	18. Seeing Tomorrow: In One Day’s Time

**Title: **Maybe, Just Maybe  
**Disclaimer: **Please don't sue. The characters I created are mine. So steal my idea, or 'borrow' without my permission, and I will be the one to sue. Other characters remain...not mine.  
**Pairings:**Buffy/Faith  
**Feedback: **Always, please )  
**Rating: **R

**Note: **I am so sorry I haven't updated in ages! But with school and work and show rehearsals etc, I just haven't had the time! Here's Ch. 17 - hope you're all still reading and please tell me what you think!

* * *

Chapter 17

I trod the corridor flooring and listened to how loud my heels were on the ground. For some reason I couldn't stop thinking about Angel, and about him coming back, to help us. Sure, it was great that he could help, but…after everything that happened…

We'd agreed to keep it strictly work-related in the sense of not going back to where we were before. There were just so many things I didn't wanna have to think about when it came to him. Him. And me.

There was Faith. I love her. I still love Angel, but…I can't. There's just so much.

I pushed the library door to, my expectations immediately met as I scanned the room for everyone. Everyone was there. Even Angel; in the corner as to avoid "poofing" from the extreme sunlight.

Everyone was so engrossed in reading, and training, and…everyone was just so…focussed. But I just couldn't stop thinking. All the things that had happened. What Faith had said. Her doubts. Willow's doubts. MY doubts. What if we didn't see the day after tomorrow? What would happen next?

I was so scared of that thought but at the same time I couldn't stop thinking about it. The line between reality and…whatever beyond, a dream, a fantasy world, whatever just seemed so…blurred. If this was reality, what was fantasy?

Last night Faith and I…the energy thing. I just couldn't get a hold of everything. Had we beaten this thing already? We already proved we had a strong hold on this thing what with the energy and stuff.

I put down my books on the desk among all of the other research material. I think I was far from reality today…everyone was talking, training, reading, going about their business, but it didn't seem like I was there. I felt more like a visitor on this mission, at that moment in time.

'Buffy, thank god you're here,' I heard from behind me. Giles, approaching me with a book in one hand and his glasses in the other. He seemed rushed.

Across the room was Willow and Faith sparring, and Oz and Xander and Angel were reading some things.

'What's up?' I asked him, trying not to sound too distant, but I think it was too obvious in my tone.

'Willow and I have been working on this locater spell and we finally found out where the tool is, well both of them to be exact.' He turned a page in his book, seeming as if he was reading from something that told him more about these tool things. 'Except…now that you're all here I think we should sit down.' He seemed distracted, and headed for the window, pulling the blinds shut.

Once again we convened around the table, each one of us holding an expression too deep to encounter. I couldn't stop glancing at Angel, who seemed so focussed on what Giles was telling us, and Faith…she was also concentrating hard. Everyone was. Except for me. Where was my mind?

We must've been talking a good few hours or so because when we'd finished the sun was beginning to set. We all headed back to the house to get everything ready for tomorrow night. Weapons, potions, weapons and more weapons. Just in case.

'I'm thinking about getting one of those arm shooting things,' Xander began as we entered the house. I raised an eyebrow and he saw this. 'You know like that guy in X-Men has…only with less…surgery and a few more buckles…' I chuckled a little.

Willow interrupted him. 'I think you can get those at that store across from the Magic Shop. They do them in bulk.' They continued on into the lounge and I headed for my room, only to be stopped by Faith on the way.

'Hey,' she began, and I turned to face her, beginning to climb the stairs. 'You alright, you seem really distant?'

I nodded briefly and knew seconds after that she wouldn't be having any of it. If by now she couldn't see straight through me then I must be deeper than a twenty four foot slab of steel.

'You wanna talk?' she continued, grasping the banister as she looked up at me.

I shook my head. 'I just think I need to take a nap.' I offered a smile and she nodded. 'I haven't slept much for the past few nights.'

She chuckled a little. 'Me either, but I know a quick fix for that if you're lookin' for an energy-booster,' she winked and I smiled once again.

I shook my head shortly after her offer. 'Nah, I just need a nap. Strangely not in the mood for anything…kinky, tonight…what with…everyone, being here.' At that moment Angel passed us crossing from the lounge to the dining room, but not without stealing a glance my way. I nodded a little and he sighed a little, raising his eyebrows simultaneously. Faith's eyes gazed at him as he passed, catching on the look he'd given me.

'I never knew it bothered you that much, B. Everyone, being here, I mean.'

I shook my head. 'I just don't think it's an appropriate time. And I'm also…not in the mood.' I winced a little, instantly realising the damage my comment could do.

She nodded, seeming self-assured by my words. 'It's alright. After.' I gave her a look edging on "I don't understand," and she continued. 'I mean…if we get through this, then maybe we could reserve the eighth of July for a whole night of…your choice, shower, bed, floor, wall…whatever…ice cream, chocolate, oh! Low fat yoghurt…' I let out a chuckling whimper as she said this. By now I was grinning; she definitely had what it takes to cheer me up.

I leant in close to her. 'I will hold you to that.'

'I thought the word you were looking for was "fuck."'

I hit her playfully on the arm and she grinned. I sucked in a breath through my mouth, looking away from her as I did. 'Perhaps it was. But as for now…I'm wicked exhausted-'

Giles passed by. 'Why don't you take a nap, Buffy, we can handle preparation down here, we'll call you if we need anything.'

'Yeah, I was actually just trying to tell Faith that I was going to take a nap,' I explained to him, leaning back from her. I looked back to her. 'Catch ya later,' I said as I punched her clenched fist and she winked.

Giles continued on to wherever it was he was going and Faith headed through to the lounge. I continued on up to the bedroom, letting out the longest yawn I think I'd ever had on the way. I was so exhausted. But then we all were. I bet everyone was wicked jonesin' for bed the way I was.

I ambled into the bedroom, pulling my sweater off as I did, heading straight for the bed. I already decided I'd make it an hour's rest and no more. Perhaps they didn't need me right now but we were all together in this. Every step of the way. Preparation and everything.

I wonder if their eyes burned as much as mine, though. Cos it was so painful. I wonder if I was the only one.

I heard a gentle knock on my door and looked over my shoulder as I threw the sweater down on the bed. 'Angel, hey.'

'Hey,' he began.

'You can…come in,' I told him, aware that he might have thought I didn't want him to come into the room at this moment in time.

'Thanks,' he said as he stepped in. 'I just came up here to talk about weapons with you,' he continued, playing with his hands as he talked, seeming nervous about wandering around the room, so he didn't. Kinda glued himself to the spot just inside the door.

'So…weapons. I've got the chest downstairs and Giles said he was gathering some stuff over the past few days.'

'We're talking steel bars and scythes here, not stakes and holy water.'

'I know, we have steel stuff. Plenty of it. Shiny stuff that would put you into a trance for HOURS on end.' I nodded as I concluded my sentence, soon seeing the expression upon his face. 'So…I think, we're set.'

'There's enough for everyone?'

'I'm sure of it.' It puzzled me slightly how he always contained this deep solemnity in his voice, not as if he was bored, just…that was the way he always spoke. I gazed at him a few seconds. 'So tomorrow's the night.'

'Tomorrow's the night,' he repeated, assuringly. 'It'll be alright, Buffy. As long as we disable this thing they can't start the apocalypse.'

'It's not that that I'm worried about. It's…the fighting,' I started, but before I had a chance to continue he stopped me.

'But that's what you're built for, Buffy. And depending on how smoothly it goes…we may not have to fight.'

'Oh…but…won't they be, guarding the entrance or anything? Don't you think they would be? Shouldn't we go check it out, do some recon?'

He nodded his head. 'Giles told me to tell you that a couple of us might be going tonight. Me, Faith, possibly Willow. He knew you wanted to rest so he said not to worry you, but it seems you're already on it.'

'Er…I don't have to nap, it doesn't matter, I probably wouldn't sleep anyway.'

'Maybe after all this, you can.'

'Yeah, if all those things don't eat us.'

'I don't think they eat,' he told me.

'Well break us. Into very small…edible pieces.'

'What makes you think they'd do that?'

'They're apocalypse starting-human race ending demons, why wouldn't they?'

He sighed. 'I think we're missing the point.'

'Or avoiding it,' I uttered beneath my breath.

'What?' he asked me, catching the words I inwardly wished I hadn't said straight after I did.

'Nothing, it's nothing…I didn't mean for-'

'I get the feeling you thought I came up here to talk about something different, something other than weapons.'

'No, I just-'

'Hoped I wouldn't catch on?'

I hesitated in replying to him. Perhaps maybe he was right. I wished he wasn't but that could've been the case here. We were talking about….shiny, pointy…painful weapons, not other…touchy subjects. 'No, not at all.'

'We agreed to keep it strictly work-related, remember.'

'Yes.' Perhaps me continuing there would've made it seem less…touchy.

'Right.' Perhaps HIM continuing there would've made him seem less suspicious of me. Or the other way round, I'm not sure yet.

I sat down on my bed and removed my heels, and immediately began searching for a more comfortable pair of footwear.

'I think I better go downstairs.'

'I'm coming with you,' I told him, just to make sure he knew.

He nodded and I smiled a little. 'I still think about you Angel.'

There was silence. I think he was contemplating my words. And I thanked God that at least he did. 'I know.' With that, he proceeded to leaving my room.

He _knows? _What the hell kind of answer was that to a girl who'd just admitted she still has feelings for a guy she so…desperately tried to fall out of love with not six months ago. I shook it quickly and hurried in changing.

I was met with a shit-eating grin by Faith at the foot of the stairs. 'Missed me, did you?' she quipped and straddled my waist with an arm as we walked into the lounge.

'I decided not to sleep. There's too much to do, you know. Sussing out the four-one-one on this Crypt thing and what not.' Will and Angel were sitting in the lounge, collecting together a few weapons that might be useful for tonight's recon.

Angel picked up a very large, very heavy-looking weapon and handed it to Will, who at first just looked at him, then, fell with it to the ground as he handed it to her. 'Er…I was thinking something less…strenuous,' she told him, and he took it from her and handed it to Faith, then glanced at me, being held by Faith.

'The Slayer's Companion; the very large…butcher knife-shaped thingy.' She looked to me. 'You want it?'

I shook my head. 'I'll stick with knives and bows and arrows. Anything small that can be thrown far so I don't have to get close to any of these things.

Angel handed me a bag and I took a peek inside. Exactly what I expected. The aforementioned.


	19. Inferior

**Title: **Maybe, Just Maybe  
**Disclaimer: **Please don't sue. The characters I created are mine. So steal my idea, or 'borrow' without my permission, and I will be the one to sue. Other characters remain...not mine. Otherwise, all the characters remain Joss Whedon's and 20th Century Fox  
**Pairings:**Buffy/Faith  
**Feedback: **Yes please  
**Rating: **R

* * *

Chapter 18 

We took my mom's Jeep and drove to the edge of town, where this Crypt was supposedly located. It seemed clear enough to spot from miles away, although it stuck to the old, "Located in the centre of a Cemetery" tradition.

Willow walked ahead with Faith, as I held back with Angel, just to make sure it was safe to be lurking around; as not to get sliced to pieces by these red demon things.

I tried as hard as I could not to blurt out his words from before and spur on an argument that might end in something I honestly couldn't be bothered to execute, but before I had a chance to think about this I had already muttered it beneath my breath, a scoff following shortly after.

I felt him glance towards me, and I cleared my throat, to try and cover it up. Me? Speak? During patrol? Never…

'What else did you want me to say, "I do too?"' I was a little pissed off that he sounded pissed off at the comment I had made.

I looked at him a moment, contemplating whether or not to continue this conversation. 'Something a little less impetuous. Who says that?'

'I do.'

'Well, don't. Words like that arouse feelings that-'

'You guys, I found something,' Willow called and we both hurried to meet her.

'It's right beneath us, I can feel it. Only problem is, do you think we should go into this Crypt I mean…these things could be hiding anywhere, all we have to do is be spotted and we're diced. I mean literally. Multiple chunks of six sided pieces of meat.'

'Ha. Told you,' I said bluntly to Angel as I hit him, and he smiled.

'They don't eat humans, that defeats the entire exercise of the apocalypse.'

'What?' I asked, stressing my 't' enough to let him know I was surprised at his knowledge of this topic.

'Consuming the very flesh that they're sacrificing suggests greed and gluttony. That's drawing unequally upon two of the sins weakening the balance…'

'Ok, slow down, big guy, details not needed,' Faith began, and I inwardly thanked her for shutting him up.

'So what do we do now?' I asked Willow, who shook her head immediately after me having finished my sentence.

'I say check out the rest of the area. Make sure we know entrances and exits, points that might be guarded. Take pictures and tell everyone back at the house. Pinpoint exact places we're gonna be watching, standing at.'

'Only problem is, how do we GET in or out without these things knowing we're here? Chances are the place is heavily guarded and if it is we're gonna have to think of a way to get in undetected,' Faith pointed out, lowering her voice a little in fears that something might hear her, other than us.

I nodded. 'Good thinking. I think maybe we should split up, look around, take pictures, get some info on lurkers and whatever else we can. Do it fast.'

Angel raised a hand to signal us to his dissenting thoughts. 'Not to oppose, but don't you think splitting up is a bad idea? You heard what Giles said, we're basically the "X" on the "marks the spot" for danger and those things are looking for both of you. Splitting up might alert them to our presence which we don't want happening one day before the ritual.'

I clenched my jaw momentarily. Why did he have to be right right now? 'Fine, let's go together. But we should do it fast before these things pick up on anything, IF there's anything here.'

'I agree, the four of us together we're stronger. Let's do it,' Faith decided and Will and Angel nodded and we all continued walking.

I stole a glance in Angel's direction and he looked back at me. 'Oh, there'll be talking later. Be sure of it,' I told him, alerting Faith to our situation. She furrowed her eyebrows a little, then smiled, looking at me first, then Angel.

I don't think her head had ever shot around that fast, and as she looked in the direction of the Crypt's entrance, we all stopped walking. 'I heard something,' she said, he voice immediately employing that serious "I'm so focussed" work-tone.

We were all silent, I assume trying to listen out for the same sound, but nothing. Nothing at all. Not even an owl cooing. I think the air got less tense as she let it go and we continued working. But it shot back almost as fast as it left as she spun on her heel again, looking sure that she'd heard something. None of us had the chance to stop her before she shot off in the direction of the Crypt. 'Faith!' I called out, and we all hurried in the same direction after her.

Goddamn her speedy running, even I couldn't keep up with it. My eyes started darting around, trying to rebel against the insane darkness so that I could see her. Any sign of her. But she'd disappeared. We slowed as we reached the Crypt entrance and in a puffed out tone I uttered, 'Where the hell did she go?' I frowned, looking around, still trying to find her, but having no luck as my eyes failed to see further than a few yards away. 'Did you see where she went, Angel?'

He shook his head. 'No.'

'Will?'

'I didn't even realise she'd ran off. Where could she have gone?' Willow seemed as astounded as I felt. Where the hell DID she go? Why didn't she wait for us?

What the hell was she attracted to?

'I have no idea,' I said, STILL trying to scan the area for any sign.

'Think she went in?' Angel suggested, and I looked towards the door. It was a large stone archway with what seemed like Latin inscriptions on the marble outskirts of the arch. I stepped up towards it and squinted at the words.

'Why didn't she wait for us?' I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Willow made a noise as she stepped up next to me and peered inside the Crypt. 'Bleurgh. I dunno…something about this whole part of town gives me the heebie-jeebies.'

Angel walked into the Crypt, taking the few stairs that led into it. 'Atmosphere's teeming.'

I turned my focus away from the inscriptions to him. 'The atmosphere's what-ing?'

'So much energy. I can feel it. Everything. Will, I think the heebie-jeebies are definitely a feeling worth noting. Can you feel anything other than that, though, like…an unusual amount of negative energy or something?'

She shrugged. 'Yeah, that's how I could tell where the tool was. Why, you think it's stronger right here, than over there?'

He looked into the Crypt. 'I dunno…I think we should check it out.'

'What about the "not getting chopped into diceable pieces" plan?' I reminded him, stepping towards him.

'Well we have to find Faith. My bet is that she was jonesin' to find out what was inside here. We got no option but to follow her-'

'We don't know that she came in here, though,' Willow pointed out and I nodded.

'It doesn't make sense for her to just sprint off like that,' I muttered and I noticed Willow looking at me.

'Well we've gotta find her. And it looks like this is the first option,' he said, gesturing towards the inside of the Crypt.

I hesitated, seriously wondering whether or not we should go in. But finally I headed inside, Willow following closely behind, Angel by my side. I heard Willow let out a sigh, her voice shuddering. I glanced over my shoulder at her and she shrugged. '_Way_ heebie-jeebie-ish right now.'

'Me too,' I told her, and took her hand as we carried on into the Crypt. 'This is really creeping me out. Faith would never-' I was cut off by the most ear-piercing, threatening scream I'd ever heard in my entire life.

And all I could think about was saving her. I broke into a sprint, my suspicions telling me every single second gone that she was hurt, or stuck, or lost. Or worse.

'Buffy, wait!' I heard Willow calling to me but I couldn't stop. I had to find her. The extreme lack of light didn't help but I soon realised I had a torch in my pocket, and when I took it out and turned it on, it made very little difference. I slowed to a halt and the others reached me seconds later. 'Do you think that was her?' she asked me and I nodded. 'Okay I'm edging on scared here, and that doesn't happen often, Buffy. What's going on?'

Angel shook his head, looking around. 'Dunno but it's definitely something strange. Why would she run off like that?'

'Shit,' I muttered under my breath, realising we were at the bottom of a three-split junction. 'Which way?'

'I dunno, I think maybe we should go back,' Willow suggested.

'No chance, I have to find her,' I decided. 'You guys can go back but I've gotta find where she is.'

'Buffy, no, you can't go alone, we have no idea about this place-' Angel began, but I couldn't resist cutting him off.

'Fine, then we'll all go.'

'I dunno Buffy, this could be really dangerous, and we may have weapons, but we don't know what we might be up against,' Willow tried. I hesitated in replying and she continued. 'This is strange.'

'I know. That's why we've gotta figure out where she is fast, and get out of here. Fast,' I finally said.

'Yeah, but in the mean time we have no idea where we're headed. We could end up anywhere.'

'We won't know if we don't try-'

'Guys,' Angel muttered, alerting us both immediately to his discovery. Something there.

I approached him, realising he was focussing on something ahead of him. He held out a hand to me as I headed for it, stopping me from moving, and he took the torch from me.

The scariest, freakiest and I wished I'd never seen THING standing RIGHT in Angel's face. Stripped of skin, hooded. Eyes so goddamned scary – white – mouth agape, as if permanently screaming.

We all charged for the opposite direction milliseconds after having seen this thing. I don't think even Angel had ever been that out of breath at any given moment in his after-life, let alone lifetime.

Once out, we slowed to a halt. 'What…the FUCK…was that?!' I yelled, pointing towards the inside of the Crypt which I inwardly prayed I wouldn't have to enter again.

'That…' Angel begun, actually, surprisingly out of breath. 'Was Erachnii.'

I shuddered. 'Seriously??? And those things…'

'Are deadlier than you can imagine. If one of those gets a hold of Faith she's toast. I never realised…' He trailed off and I begged for him to continue.

'What? Never realised what?'

'Those things kill. Fast. Forget weapons, thank god we were all scared enough to run. Don't let them touch you. Come near you. Anything. Forget weapons, forget spells. Those things are the things that monsters fear. They are worse than death itself,' he explained.

I could feel my entire body pulsating as he told me this. All the while he spoke I could only think of one thing. And that was Faith. If one of those things got her…'I know what you're thinking, Buffy. But we can't go back in there.'

'She has no idea what these things look like, what if she tries to fight one?' I told him, my voice breaking, tears welling in my eyes. I was beginning to become a blubbering mess. 'I can't leave her, we have no idea where she's gone. She could've gone down a different path, she could be anywhere in there.'

'She won't live,' Angel told me and my eyes widened.

I stood, _my _mouth now agape that he'd even thought of telling me this. 'Don't you even FUCKING dare speak to me like that,' I sneered, my words long and slow. I couldn't believe he'd just said that to me. His words we all dreaded more than anything these past few days.

With that, I headed back inside, but Will grabbed my arm, holding me back. 'Buffy, _don't._' I looked at her, surprised she was going to stop me. 'You can't go back in there. Those things…'

'Those things could be eating her alive right now! I gotta go-'

'Gotta go where?'

We all spun round. I charged towards her and embraced her, then stepped back and slapped her. 'You scared me.' I think maybe Angel and Willow were slightly astounded at my attitude towards her having changed twice in the past five seconds. She grabbed her face and frowned.

'Hey, hey, ease up. I didn't really go anywhere. I mean, I thought you guys were following me. I saw this hooded thing and I thought-'

'Shit, did it see you?' I asked quickly, not letting her finish her sentence.

'I lost it before I had a chance to do anything. But when I turned around and you guys weren't there I realised I had lost _you_. So I started walking around and eventually I ended up here and…' I grabbed her and held her tightly once again. '…And…waited until you guys showed up. And here we are.' She moved her arms slightly to embrace me, furrowing her eyebrows as she did, a little astounded at my behaviour. She chuckled nervously and glanced at Will, then Angel, who had the same expression.

- - -

We all sat around the table, once again as solemn and sombre as the situation caused us to be. I made it priority to sit next to Faith, as close as possible. I grasped her hand as tight as I could, and when she tapped my arm lightly with her free hand and frowned gently I realised perhaps I was crushing her bones. 'You're scared,' she whispered into my ear, as if having just identified the problem, and now trying to nurse it away.

I could still feel myself shaking inside. 'I'm petrified.' I loosened my hold on her hand and she used her other hand to straddle my waist, sandwiching her arm between the chair and me.

As we waited for Giles to bring whatever material to the table it was he was bringing, we sat, stewing in the most nervous (and I mean nervous) atmosphere there ever was. Like worse than having "that chat" with your parents. Like waiting for a pregnancy test to tell you the right answer. Like…waiting for Giles to bring a goddamned book to a table.

I think the atmosphere loosened up as he entered, as usual, flipping through pages, searching for the appropriate material needed for the discussion.

'I saw it somewhere,' he began, us knowing straight off what he was talking about.

He set the book down onto the table and continued to flip the pages. Oz, who was seated next to him, caught the page and I swear fell BACKWARDS off his chair having seen the picture. He stood, straightened himself out, and re-positioned himself on the other side of Willow's seat. AWAY from the book.

We had all seen this, and as comical as it was, none of us laughed. In fact, I was probably right in thinking we all saw it as strange behaviour.

Giles watched Oz's motions, and hadn't seen the picture. But he shrieked in the baritone way that he not-so-very-often did as he flipped shut the page as fast as he had opened it, and jumped back from the book, seeming startled in the way that only he could make laughable.

'I don't get it. What's the ha-ha on this thing? Does it have boogly eyes and an open chest? Or is it plain comical with a sticker on it's forehead saying "the Scariest Yoo-Hoo in Demon History?"' Xander asked, and Giles pushed the book in his direction, keeping his eyes away from it as he did. Xander laughed at Gile's motions as he grabbed the book and looked at the six or so pairs of eyes focussed upon him. As he flipped the page he continued to look to us, and I can say his motions were a mixture of Gile's and Oz's. He screamed, fell of his chair, pushed the book away, and moved to a different position in the room. Again, away from the book.

We all watched as he straightened himself out and pretended none of that had happened. He'd just moved to a different place because he became uncomfortable.

I stood up, reached for the book across the table, and repositioned it in the centre of the table. I could feel the butterflies mustering in my stomach, but I tried to swallow the feeling as I clenched the page and scanned the room for the various pairs of eyes that might be waiting to see what this thing looked like.

And I can honestly say I'd never been more scared in my life. As I turned the page I jumped back, the wall the only implement strong enough to keep me from reaching the other end of the house.

Everyone else's actions were similar. Everyone except for Faith's.

And as we all stood on the outskirts of the dining room, she stood, right next to the book, looking around the room at everyone's behaviour.

'That thing is-is-is just…plain WRONG,' Xander said, his voice serious, but with that dash of sarcasm implied to top. 'With whipped wrongage on top!'

I nodded. 'God it creeps me out.'

Silence graced the room as everyone either nodded or acted uncomfortable. 'C-can we…close the book now, I'm starting to feel uncomfortable,' Oz asked quietly, above all the nervous the silence that filled the room.

The moment he mentioned that we all agreed, and Faith, who had looked down at the picture, grabbed the front cover and flipped the book shut. It seemed everyone breathed a sigh of relief as the picture disappeared, and we collected again around the table, soon re-seating and calming down. Faith sat, her eyebrows furrowed, silence the key to her scepticism.

'Okay I think it's safe to say that that thing is scary,' Xander said and we all nodded, all except for Faith. Still she frowned.

'Why, is the question. I've seen monsters, demons and various other evil forces far more bloodcurdling…well…no I gotta say that one tops it. Actually.' Angel straightened out his jacket, I think the thought of seeing it again making him feel uneasy.

'If you were to finish that sentence, were you going to say why would any of us be scared of this being? That it's shape and form are of no threat to us and that us being petrified of it is something we would never be?' Giles asked him. 'Because that's insane.' He ended it there, and I raised my eyebrows.

I started. 'Well we came face to face with this thing, can you imagine how terrifying-'

'Actually you _saw _it. _I _came face to face with it. Literally. I think there's a difference, i.e. I'm allowed to be more scared,' Angel told me.

'I'm pretty sure I was face to face with it,' Willow began and I turned my attention to her. She'd taken Oz's hand in the same fashion I had done with Faith's, only now I had let go, and she was leaning both hands upon the book.

'No you weren't, Will, I was,' he argued.

'Okay, you guys that isn't the point,' Faith interrupted. We all quietened down and she looked around at each and every one of us. 'You guys aren't seeing the bigger picture here. Every single one of your initial reactions was to flee from this thing. And that was just the picture of it. You took a split-second glance at it and tried to get as far away from it as possible, without leaving the room.' She drew in a breath and continued. 'Aren't we fighters here?' Silence.

'You're running scared. And that's exactly what these things want you to do. Their power is the power to scare. They are no real threat to us. But for some reason you think they are invincible because you're too scared to try to fight them. They're harmless creatures. Given the correct attitude and enough space they might be able to live with humans on this planet. But the only reason why they can't and won't is because of their form. It's a natural repellent, in the "adrenaline" sense. Fight or flee? "Flee. Automatically, when the human being sees Erachnii they choose to flee. In fear of Erachnii killing them." That was what was written beneath the picture, but I guess you all got away from it before examining it properly. Their form is their speciality. They scare the crap outta people. Making them think people's like us don't have a chance in fighting them. But the reality is, we don't need to fight them. They're not a danger to us.'

'Rubbish, you don't know what you're talking about,' Giles snapped, hugging his arms, and his eyes shiftier than a fly, I might add. He seemed just about as uncomfortable as the rest of us and frowned as he proceeded to talk. 'They're invincible, you heard Angel. Even those spirits. They said so, and the book-'

'The book was written by a prophet who knew just about as much as any other human being in terms of initial reaction. He thought the same way we do, and _thought _that these things are impossible to kill. It's the effect they have on us. They make us think we can't kill them to protect themselves. And when they do manage to frighten us to death – which I'm pretty sure they're well on their way to doing to you guys – they make the rest of the human race believe they're the most dangerous creatures on the planet.' Faith moved to open the book again but I reached out my hand and closed it shut. TIGHT, I might add. My hand still upon it.

'What are you saying? This demon has the power to kill us by just scaring us to death? And that's its power? Like…all of it?' I asked her, challenging her to say otherwise by staring her directly in the eye, my best work voice put on (on top of all the nervousness my voice portrayed).

She nodded. 'We have nothing to fear. You guys are affected by its power because well…I think it's something to do with being a Slayer. Except, B…you seemed pretty spooked.'

'So you weren't afraid of it?' Giles questioned.

She shrugged. 'It's a drawing of a person in a cape with white eyes and no skin, it's hardly pants-shitting.' She opened the book again, on that freaking page and this time we all closed our eyes shut. As tight as humanly possible.

'It's not gonna hurt you to look at it,' she said, her voice seeming to plead with us. I opened my eyes to find I was the only other one and she nodded towards me, her eyes reinforcing her spoken words. I looked at the picture, my insides knotting horribly as my eyes laid upon it, but as I looked at it for a while longer the fear slowly melted away. I took her hand, looking at it for a while, and just as I thought the fear was disappearing, I felt it knotting up in my stomach again, and I cuddled her, using her shoulder as a place to hide my face so I wouldn't have to look at it. I made a whimpering noise, and trembled, my whole body affected by this thing. 'No, I can't, I can't look at it, it's really, it's gonna eat me, urgh, put it away, get it out of here, Faith, quickly, it's gonna eat us!' I babbled, as if a spider the size of the room was crawling the wall.

She shut the book and everyone opened their eyes and sighed. Strangely, almost simultaneously. She stood up and I tried to grab her shirt but she moved away and began circling the room. 'The truth, you guys? That thing scares the shit out of me. But I see past it. It's a trick. You guys are only scared of this thing because it wants you to be.' She licked over her lips before continuing and I slid the book across the table, just to get it away from me. Will glared at me, having shoved it in her direction, and I made a face as if to say "oops?"

'How often do you guys fight something that you're afraid of?' Silence. Each and everyone of us hesitated.

'You guys don't GET afraid. Sure I was spooked at Kaskistos and his smelly breath, but he chased me all the way into this town and constantly managed to find a way to be within the vicinity of me, taunting me. Promising me a terrible, nasty death. Like most demons do. But how often are we scared to fight? When do we ever flee? Do we? Ever?'

I thought about her words and stood up. 'She's right. We have to see past this. We wanted to know what we were up against, and this is it. If we can't see past this, then we're no better than them. And if we don't go back to that Crypt tomorrow and disable that tool, this entire world is toast. So we have to put our fear below us, get this over and done with and cry our fucking hardest after because I swear their eyes pierced right through me and tried to eat me,' I whimpered, after having delivered all of that.

Willow smiled. 'If we're strong enough maybe our energy can dispel these things, and if not we're all gonna die anyway cos they will eat us…with…Erachnii knives and forks and those evil dessert forks that are smaller but pointier…and…'

'Willow…' Faith called, and Willow looked at her. 'Shut up. They won't eat us, they won't even hurt us and I'm beginning to think they're not gonna stop us from stopping that thing because if we see past that "fear" they're powerless against us. So stop, being, scared. And focus.' She exhaled loud and placed her hands on her hips, her eyebrows furrowed deep in her head and looking at us all around the room.

After a few moments silence Angel piped up. 'I think the technical term for dessert fork is "stake."'

Faith sighed loudly and headed out of the room, and directly up the stairs. I gave everyone a worried glance and followed her out. 'Faith…wait,' I called as I followed her upstairs and into our room. 'You're right.'

She turned to me once I'd closed the door. 'I know I'm right, Buffy, what worries me is that we've suddenly lost the balls to do this, because you're all scared of a demon you saw doing recon tonight. What the hell is wrong with all of you? For god's sakes, we're slayers, fighters, warriors. We don't run from fear. We chase it. Isn't fear supposed to drive us? If anything, you were the one who told me to channel my fear into wasting these things. Why all of a sudden are you all running scared?'

'We're not running-'

'Yeah, that's because the dining room walls don't extend further than a few feet. If we were on a football pitch, you see the drawing and I don't see you again, because you're all sprinting like you're tryin' to score a few. Didn't you tell me, before, that Angel told you that we should run? As far away as possible?' she continued as she stood across the room, space being the ultimate thing between us right now.

'Well, yeah, but…'

'It's like…the First. Its power is to get you to believe what it says. To have you under it's control through the use of dead people's. But you can see beyond that. Why is it any different now?'

'It's not,' I told her. Simply. I can do this. Just…any sign of cutlery and I'm lost.

She sighed a sigh of vanquished relief and ran her fingers back through her hair, rolling her eyes simultaneously to the motion.

'Then we can do this?' she enquired, her expression knocking on one-hundred and ten per cent "I need to make sure she's not bluffing."

I approached her, straightforwardly, suddenly fearlessly, and grasped her hand, tight. 'This isn't because I'm scared,' I said, raising our hands clenched together, and looked at them, then into her brown eyes that seemed almost defeated now. Again, she was tired.

'This is because I'm not letting go. You've already shown me so much. And if tomorrow tests our strength…then I'll know that this is the touch that brought me to life.' I inhaled and gazed into her eyes. 'I'm not scared anymore. Because I have you.' I moved in to kiss her, and as my lips met hers, I cried inside. What if that was the last time I got to kiss her? To touch her the way I could? Why was I lying to her? Why didn't I just tell her this fear was too much?

Tomorrow would decide. Tomorrow.


	20. Invisible to the World

**Title: **Maybe, Just Maybe   
**Disclaimer: **Please don't sue. The characters I created are mine. So steal my idea, or 'borrow' without my permission, and I will be the one to sue. Other characters remain...not mine. Otherwise, all the characters remain Joss Whedon's and 20th Century Fox   
**Pairings:**Buffy/Faith   
**Feedback: **Always   
**Rating: **R

**Note: **Again I'm really sorry to everyone who's still looking out for this fic, I've been so busy with other things, I haven't had a lot of time. Thanks for the reviews, please keep commenting! Here's Chapter 19.

* * *

Chapter 19 

I sighed heavily as I put the stake down upon the table, having been rolling it back and forth my hands as I stood at my desk, looking out of my window. Every apocalypse I'd seen had not scared me. At least not this much that I actually considered running.

Faith was right. It was about channelling that fear, and that's why I never run scared. But this time, something was way different.

I assumed everyone else was sleeping; the house was silent. The moonlight shone into the room, casting a pastel blue across it. I peered over my shoulder at Faith. She could sleep through an apocalypse. Wouldn't surprise me if she already had done.

She looked so beautiful sleeping. So peaceful that every time I saw her I wondered what the hell it was that she was dreaming about.

I picked up the paddle brush on my desk, meaning to run it through my hair a couple of times, but it seemed I had broken it into many pieces as I lifted it. Seemed to be my thing. Clenching, holding on to things, when I was anxious, or scared.

I realised not too long after that I had been clenching and unclenching my jaw, and as I stepped away from my table, and headed for the door, I continued to. I couldn't get rid of this anxiety. There was no way I was going to sleep now.

So I headed for the basement. Training. It would only help.

I took a deep breath as I pulled the black cloth around my eyes and tied it into a knot. I stretched out my arms and legs a few minutes before beginning.

The presence was always there with me. The connection. She could be miles away, sleeping, unconscious, and that connection was with me. Sparring with me…I make it sound as if I want to fight her, but that isn't what I mean. I just mean…she's always here with me. Even if she's not. I know that probably doesn't make any sense, but…I can always feel her presence.

I could feel it even before she arrived in Sunnydale.

I began my routine, sparring with the air as it seemed in a tai-chi like fashion, my movements timed, my breathing in-sync with my movements. I didn't need my sight. And I decided once again that I didn't need it.

I could see without my eyes. It was like, light. But all different colours. Energies that would change colour according to their goodness. I'm not saying every demon I'd confronted had a black energy surrounding them, but I could just tell. Like…the energy comforted me. And this was why I was never worried by that constant presence I felt. Faith's presence.

I could feel my tears beginning to dampen the blindfold taking away my eyesight, though I continued. I have no idea how long I'd been training, going through these routines, but I cried. Openly. I sniffled and let the tears that didn't get absorbed by the cloth fall, and I wailed. Not uncontrollably, but enough.

The fear. I couldn't get rid of it. I'd been trying. Trying to dispel it through training, through the motions, use it to focus. But I just couldn't. It kept getting tougher and tougher. Like a vampire that couldn't be staked. Like an evil that consumed the entire human race, and spread, like a virus that couldn't be cured.

Like a dark cloud that grew inside of the light.

And it made me cry. Instead of feeling better, I was getting worse. And I knew that no matter how many hours I was doing this for, it wouldn't go away. There would always be that fear.

Even if I could feel Faith's presence. Even if she would lead me and take care of me. I couldn't stop being afraid.

Afraid of losing.

My motions began to slow until eventually I had sunk to the floor, my legs given up beneath me, my form tiring out on me. I ripped the blindfold from my head and threw it. Damn this stupid fear. There had to be a way I could do this without fear beating the crap out of my nervous system. It was just a matter of me finding it.

I climbed the stairs to the next floor, and approached the lounge, now realising just how much crying made your eyes sting. I rubbed them slightly as I headed through to the lounge and towards a boxful of books, when I heard a short, very high-pitched screeching sound. I spun on my heels, sure it had come from behind me, in the direction of the dining room. I didn't see anything. I didn't hear any shuffles and nothing seemed out of place. I continued towards the books, and began shuffling through some, trying to find a book about spells. Anything. I just needed one spell. To get rid of fear.

After tossing half of the books onto the couch, I came across a very small, very worn red book entitled "Witchcraft." Fantastic.

I pushed the books on the couch to one side and sat down, beginning to flick through the book as I did. Most of the books we researched from had around ten-thousand or so pages each, but this one was quite small. I came across a spell soon enough and it was exactly what I was looking for. I just had to light a candle, get some salt, and sprinkle it around the candle as I chanted a few words.

And so I got the candle, I got the salt and I began. 'Hear these words, hear this rhyme, alleviate fear, in space and time. Within this place, the haunted space, alleviate fear, remove the trace. Remove it from within, dispel it far from me, this is my will, so mote it be.' I whispered the words a couple more times, unaware of the energy dispelling from me. Though when I looked back to the book, I noticed a white light dispelling from me. Pulling itself, draining, almost.

I looked back at the book, and read the next words aloud. 'By the time this candle is burned through, the fear I hold shall be perished, and I shall be a fearless soul. This is my will, so mote it be.'

I looked at the flame as it grew, and shone, and I smiled, feeling…weightless. I heard that screeching once again, and spun round as before, closing the book with the one hand I was holding it in. I headed towards the noise, sure it was coming from the other side of the house.

But nothing could prepare me for the image I was about to see before me, as I entered the kitchen. That Erachnii, piercing my eyes with it's own, it's mouth as intimidating as it had been before. I looked at it, examining its form, thinking of ways to kill it. Though when I reached for it; flash, I was in my room.

What?

I looked at my surroundings, just trying to make sure I was actually in my bedroom.

I frowned, standing still, confused. I hadn't understood what had just happened.

Even so.

I headed for the bed, seeing the still peaceful beauty underneath my covers. Beautiful as she always is, she still hogs the bed. It didn't matter though. I laid upon the bed, and as carefully as I could, I wrapped an arm around her.

- - -

'Buffy?' Giles waved a hand in front of my eyes, holding my shoulder as I sat in a dining room chair.

He called again, and after taking off his glasses, moved closer to my eyes and squinted. Then he placed his glasses upon the table, and moved his hands towards one side of my face, and clapped, slowly, repeatedly.

His frown deepened as he reached for his glasses and continued to examine my form.

It wasn't until Angel arrived that Giles said anything else. 'Angel,' he called, as Angel snaked round the walls trying not to get in sunlight's way. 'Look,' he instructed, pointing towards my catatonic form.

Giles moved away and Angel replaced his position. He bent down and looked up at my eyes. He stood up, and without admonition, backhanded me. I landed on the floor, with a thud, and made an "oomph" sound.

My heartbeat raced, as I realised I was on the floor of my bedroom, having no idea how I'd gotten there. I frowned, my palms both flat on the floor, my body sprawled out. And as I got up and looked around, I saw Faith's still sleeping form. I headed downstairs, immediately going for the lounge, just to check that candle had completely burnt out. And when I entered the dining room, I gasped.

'How did you find her?' Angel asked, his voice sombre as it always was. He was sitting me down in my chair once again.

Wait, back up. I was looking at myself, being sat down in a chair, looking completely spaced. Like a dummy. Was I dead?

'Lying on the kitchen floor, as if she was sleeping, but when I picked her up and sat her down on the chair I noticed her eyes were like this and she had no limb control at all. As if she was unconscious with her eyes open.'

'And now she's catatonic,' Angel concluded, beginning to pace back and forth the shadowed part of the room. 'Think it's supernatural?'

Giles showed no sign that he was about to answer, though when he did, his answer was not certain. 'Could be. I have no idea.'

'I'm here, you guys,' I began, expecting for them to turn around and see me. But no.

This was strange. I couldn't be dead. Not today. Tomorrow, maybe. But…not now…

I hadn't realised Willow was on the case when she walked through from the lounge to the dining room, and straight past me…"active" me. I hadn't seen her. She was looking at a book. No…actually she was looking at that book. The one I'd used last night.

'I know what it is,' Willow told them straight away. 'It's a "Fearless" spell. She used it to get rid of her inner fear. And now…'

'She's living inside her head?' Angel asked, reaching for the book.

'Probably.'

'It backfired…' Giles muttered, looking at my still catatonic form.

'I don't think it did. See, the spell searches for specifics. And if it's not what she wanted…tough. It takes it anyway. Either that or the fear she tried to get rid of is out wandering the streets whilst her mind is filling with nothing but…nothing. Sometimes performing spells like this actually cause the magic to take more than what you ask. Maybe because she's so scared, the fear inside of her…is the inside of her. So she's dispelled her soul from her own body.'

'So it's like she's dead?'

Willow was silent a moment. 'I don't like to see it that way.'

Giles sighed as he took the book from Angel and began to read. 'I agree. It's not necessarily that she died and her soul cannot rest. It's more…a sort of…astral projection. Only she didn't leave her body willingly.'

'She asked for the deities to remove what she wanted gone and they took what it is she wanted out.' Willow sighed. 'She must be pretty scared for it to push out her entire subconscious.'

I stood back, watching all of this. How could I be so stupid? Now they had to waste time getting me back inside of my own body rather than focussing on tonight. 'I'm so dumb,' I muttered and sat down at another dining chair.

Willow furrowed her eyebrows and looked around. 'You guys just hear that?' she said, her tone high pitched, as if she had been caught off-guard.

Angel and Giles looked at her blankly. So…no.

'She's in this room,' Willow began, pointing towards the floor. She began moving around, outstretching a hand, trying to "feel" her way around.

I watched her with a raised eyebrow and my chin in my upturned palm, leaning on the table. 'I'm here, Willow,' I said and she moved faster.

'She's talking to me,' Willow continued, and Giles looked at the…non-active me, and then at Willow.

'How do you know she actually did the spell, Will?' Angel asked gently.

'Because I saw the burnt out candle and the salt sprinkles on the table in the lounge. And could you…shh, I need to concentrate a bit,' she told him.

I sighed and got up, headed for my body, and sat in it. And next thing I knew I was upon the floor again. I looked up at the bodies staring down at me, and made a face. "Er…oops?"

- - -

'So you don't feel scared?' Willow asked me as she tore a few herbs apart and dropped them into the boiling pan on the cooker. I crushed some ingredients with the mortar and pestle and as she stirred, I crushed.

'Yeah, I really do. Like…beyond my wits. I thought the spell might, you know…help me.'

'Yeah, well…it's a good thing the spell was simple. You might not have been able to get back into your body as easily as you did if it were more complex. Some spells can actually require the help of a witch to anchor you back into your body. And sometimes that doesn't even work.'

I shrugged. 'I was just…so scared. I couldn't do anything. I mean…Faith told me to channel it into my fighting and I just…can't.'

Willow sideways glanced at me and hummed. 'Don't do it again.'

I scoffed. 'Says you?'

Willow stopped stirring the ingredients, and turned to me. 'Okay, I don't know what that's supposed to mean, but I just want you to know that meddling with the magics is dangerous. Okay, so perhaps some stuff is pretty much straightforward, but if you don't know what you're getting yourself into, then you could be falling into a bottomless pit. You can't just expect for others to fix things whenever you mess up, Buffy. I realise you're scared, but meddling with magic is the LAST thing you should be doing. For one it drains you, and secondly it's dangerous.'

I raised an eyebrow. 'Yet when I try to tell you that about slaying you keep trying to get into it.'

'Buffy I need to learn to fight for a reason. Because I'm part of this circle and we all have to fight. Physically. Okay, so I can perform a few magic tricks and summon elements but that won't protect me when a demon comes running at me with an axe. They are two completely different things.' She turned back to her pan. 'And you're being selfish.'

I raised my eyebrows and my jaw dropped. 'I'M being selfish?'

'Yeah.' She put down the spoon again. 'You tell me I can't go slaying with Faith-'

'I never said that; that wasn't my decision,' I said, trying to defend myself.

'You didn't have to say anything, Buffy, your eyes are an open book.'

I scoffed. 'So you're saying I'm being selfish when I try to protect you? Will, I didn't want you fighting with her because-'

'Because what, Buffy? Because she's reckless? Hell knows, everyone needs to bend the rules a little all the time – except for when it's magic – but you treat me as if I should just do things because you tell me to! Like…I'm your…sidekick. And whenever YOU get in trouble we all have to put ourselves on the line to help you, when you could have prevented it in the first place!' By this time she sounded pretty pent up, but not as much as me.

'What? So when I saved your life I was actually putting it on the line?'

'That's not what I mean, Buffy, you're missing the point-'

'No, I'm getting it. Loud and clear. I'm the reckless one. The selfish one because I'm only thinking about the safety of myself; no one else.' I pushed the stupid pestle and mortar away and headed out of the back door, whilst Willow's eyes followed me out. She sighed and leant against the counter.

'We don't need this,' she muttered to herself, watching the door.

- - -

'I tried not to NOT sleep,' Faith told him as she brushed her hair. Angel stood in the doorway, once again, trying not to expose himself to sunrays.

'So you're well rested,' he concluded.

'Mmm-hmm. Although I reckon I would've slept a little better knowing B was too. She didn't come to bed at all.'

Angel nodded. 'I think she was occupied with…other…activities.' He smirked as he watched her.

Faith eyed him as she pulled her hair up, a tie-back between her teeth. 'Try not to sound so suspicious next time and I'll believe that you two didn't get up to anything.'

He chuckled and shook his head. 'Nah, she'd never do that to you.'

If Faith didn't look so "deer caught in headlights" he might've been able to pretend he'd never said anything. She paused, then chuckled nervously and shifted from one foot to another, deciding to re-do her hair, just to keep herself occupied. 'What?' And also, if it wasn't for the high-pitched "I don't know what you're talking about" tone, he might've pretended he hadn't said anything.

He didn't reply, just smiled at her, warmly. She tidied up the loose strands of hair and looked at him, her motions dying down as she realised he really did know about them.

'It must be the best, huh,' he continued eventually, shifting his weight onto his other foot.

She crossed the room and sat down on the bed, looking at the space before her. 'It…' she began. Her lips formed a comforting smile as she thought about what she was going to say next. 'Yeah,' she told him as she nodded to herself. She shuffled around on the bed a little more. 'I never knew…' she furrowed her eyebrows a little as she thought more about her words. 'I never knew I could feel this way. About…about _anyone. _I know it's her and everything, but she's just…so much different. Than anyone, anything I've ever known. And this feeling…even though it's eating me…it makes me feel…' She thought more about the words she wanted to say next. 'It makes me feel full.'

Angel nodded too, blinking indolently. And he watched her expression for a waited while before speaking. 'That's how I feel too.'

'Feel?' she caught. She raised an eyebrow. 'You still love her?'

Angel hesitated.

'It's okay, I'm not gonna get all territorial and possessive,' she told him, her tone inviting.

He smiled coyly and moved into the room, taking note at where in the room the shadows were. 'I feel like it every time I see her. As if she's what…satisfies me. In the most un-perverted way…' Faith chuckled at his comment.

'But I could feel how she felt for you, that time in the library, the dining room. When you got lost…I mean it's obvious you two are in love.' Throughout this, Faith had begun to smile once again, just grasping his words.

She nodded slow and gazed into his eyes. 'She's the only person I've ever loved.'

'It feels weird for the first time, doesn't it,' he added, using a hand gesture to describe.

She nodded a little. 'Weird…but wicked wonderful. And it's not even about the "hungry and horny" vibe I get with her; just…this presence. And I seem to get it, all the time. And I know it's not because I'm in this house. Just…all the time, I feel as if she's with me…and it…it's…it's freakin' awesome.' It seemed she was confirming all of these things for the sake of herself rather than Angel, and as her eyes searched the floor in front of her, she spoke.

Willow approached Faith's room, hearing the two conversing as she neared.

'I mean sometimes we'll make love and it's not just…sex, y'know? It's not about the mind-blowing orgasms, or the way it's done, its…'

'Binding,' Angel concluded, nodding simultaneously.

Outside the door Willow listened. Her eyebrows furrowed and she pressed a hand against the wall, just to lean in a little.

She moved a leg up onto the bed, folding it beneath her. 'Sometimes I wake up feeling depressed as fucking hell, but knowing that she's there to take me through the day chases away all that pain. Straight away.'

- - -

I don't know why I was so pissed off. It wasn't like I didn't deserve that harsh, depressing…knife-jabbing tell-off. But I felt so…I felt as if I was right. I _was_ right. I wasn't being selfish. I was trying to help. If I was fearless I'd be able to do this tonight, no problems attached.

I crossed the road and folded my arms across my chest, watching the various cars waiting at junctions, and the people, going about their own daily activities. They had NO idea. None. Tonight we could fail. And the whole world would be a piece of mouldy toast. The weight of the world rested on my shoulders. Because I was the Slayer.

I never really saw Faith as THE Slayer. I saw myself as THE Slayer, and Faith as the _other _Slayer. Not particularly needed, but there. Not like a fifth wheel. But if I didn't get dead that time, then Kendra wouldn't have been called, nor Faith. I'd never have met her…

Thank god I DID die. So now we're THE Slayers. Thank God.

But that's not the point. Willow told me off. And it upset me.

I ended up walking around for a few hours, wandering aimlessly around streets and parks and cemeteries. I headed back to the house, figuring I should get over that stupid row and get on with finalising prep for tonight's ritual.

- - -

'You ARE joking, right?' Angel said, making note to emphasise the last three words of his sentence.

Giles shook his head. 'The ritual states we must wear white robes with the pentacle embroidered on the back. To symbolise the devotion to the elements and the…oh it doesn't matter. For god's sakes it's for two hours at the most out of your life. You've lived, what, a good one-hundred years, it won't make a dent in your life time experience of wearing clothing.'

Angel eyed the robe, holding it up in front of him. Faith was laughing behind him. 'Who's gonna look like a sissy-girl?'

'At least it wasn't my christening dress,' he muttered, folding it up and throwing it on the couch.

Faith sneered. 'Fuck off, I wasn't christened. Anyways at least I can enter a church without imitating cigarette crap.'

He made a face, then turned from her and headed for the next room, and as he passed the stairs, I opened the front door, and closed it gently behind me. I saw Faith and Giles look up at me, and Angel stop to say a brief 'hi,' before continuing on.

'Where did you go?' Giles asked.

I shrugged. 'For a walk.' I headed straight upstairs, for some reason, needing a shower.

I sensed rather than saw Faith following me, hoping that this wouldn't be one of her, "I'm horny; do me," conversations. God, what was up with me? Why all of a sudden was I being so bitchy?

I closed the bathroom door behind me, hoping she'd soon get the message, but no such luck came to me as she closed the door behind her, and locked it. 'What's up?'

I shrugged and proceeded to pulling my black top over my head. I tossed it onto a pile in the corner of the bathroom and did the same with my trousers and underwear.

'What we talked about, last night…it's not…'

'No. It's not you, Faith, I just…need a shower.' I twisted the tap round, and waited for the water to reach a comfortable temperature.

She stood back still, by the door, I think sensing that I needed more alone-thinking-time.

'You're not still fretting over fighting these things, are you?'

'No- Faith, could I just…have some time, please?' I watched her, looking me in the eye, seeming a little astounded, before turning and exiting, the cockiness and unsophisticated attitude she so boldly housed dissipating.

Finally.

- - -

'You think there'll be much fighting?' he suggested, and she shrugged.

'Who knows. There might be none. But it might all be too much and we all might die.' She looked towards the ceiling, drawing in oxygen as she did. 'I just hope I don't mess up this ritual.'

He reached for her hands and took them in his own. 'You won't.' Xander observed her a moment. 'I just want you to know that…I'm always here for you, always,' he said to her as they sat across from each other, upon the floor of my bedroom.

Willow closed her eyes to the feeling of Xander touching the back of her head and just holding it for a while.

'I love you so much, Willow. And…after everything we've done, from diapers to…demons…I've never doubted ever wanting to leave your side. I'll be there for you tonight. You need me to fight; I'm there. Just say the word.'

She smiled jadedly and sucked in a breath through her mouth. 'I love you, Xand. You know me better than anyone here. And if I need something, you can guarantee that you will always know the answer.' She raised up onto her knees as she leant in to hug Xander, who in return, wrapped his arms around her, just holding her.

- - -

Will. Angel. Me. Faith. Giles. Xander. Oz. There we all were. Standing in the lounge of the house. Weapons in hand, garments in the other. Willow held the books needed and the potions we had mixed. Giles held the crystals we needed. One thing we all held individually was strength. Every single one of us.

I glanced at everyone, their faces serious, knowing that they could die.

'I won't even think about saying goodbye. You all know why. But I know what I do want to say. We are fighters. We are not afraid. We can do this, and we are prepared. Every one of you has a strength in this room, and energy that will overcome these demons. And if we do fight, we'll do it well. Because you're bloody good and I want to rush home after to take a warm bath with bubbles and drink some tea and watch University Challenge.' We all eyed each other as Giles finished up. 'E-hem. I…don't think I should've said that aloud.' He scratched his forehead as he moved aside, and I assumed his position.

'Okay. You guys…' I drew in a deep breath and looked at them all.

But Faith continued for me. 'You guys this is IT. The real deal, the night. And we're gonna DO this. Even if it kills us. Because heck, we'd just come back anyway, B did, so we can too.' She shook her head. 'The point is…you all know the damage you can do. Every single battle you've had in the past, take it with you now. And if we have to fight…we know what we have to do. Just…be smart. And…we can all come home and have bubble baths and watch, dare I say it University Challenge afterwards.' She glanced at Giles, who had smiled contentedly at her.

The gang chuckled and I stepped in. 'She's right. We do this; we live. We die; we live. But one thing we will not do, is FAIL. Because we don't fail. So do it, you guys. And let's all come home safe.'

I smiled a little, and looked to Faith, who gave me a nudge. We headed out and she whispered in my ear, 'And maybe we can try it with the bubble bath.'

I nodded and looked at her, her eyes sparkling as they always did. I was glad she wasn't still mad at me.


	21. Leave It To My Instinct

**Title: **Maybe, Just Maybe  
**Disclaimer: **Purely for entertainment, no infringement intended  
**Pairings:**Buffy/Faith  
**Feedback: **Always  
**Rating: **R

* * *

Chapter 20

Everyone seemed to remain calm. No panic, just…sombreness. Everyone, quiet, thoughtful (I guessed), hoping. Hoping to those Powers that Hopefully Be that we would make it through this.

Giles drove the Jeep to the edge of town, where the Tachra Taa was. I sat, with Faith on one side of me, Willow the other, and we all held hands. Tightly. I felt Faith lean over and smell my hair, and I think she sighed a little. As much as she had tried to tell us that we were strong enough for this, she still had her doubts.

Then something dawned on me. I let my eyes fall shut and I just tried to connect. I took a deep breath.

_If we make it through this… _I started. I hadn't expected for her to finish.

_I'm gonna do you so hard. _I chuckled though that disappeared quickly when Willow chimed in.

_That was an over share…_I opened my eyes and looked at her, and she was smiling back at us, Faith also having been looking at her.

It never occurred to me that Willow might know about us, that ANYONE might know about us, except for that time at the hospital and Giles…but other than that…

I took in a nervous breath as I realised where we were.

- - -

We walked towards the Crypt, still as silent as we could ever be. I walked beside Faith, daring not leave her side, for fears of what happened last time scared me. I honestly thought something had happened to her.

As we neared the Crypt we jingled and jangled and clanked with all of the weaponry and equipment we had. Giles had all of our robes in one bag…my mind flashed back to when he brought them home.

Angel hated them, and had no shame in saying so. Faith just laughed, but really you could see she was thinking the same thing as Angel. She wouldn't be seen dead in them. It added a comical effect when Angel tried to make that comment.

The breeze of the Crypt hit my cheeks as we approached its large doors, and a shiver fell through my spine like a ribbon tickling. This scared me through and through. I hoped so hard it would be over soon. Giles glanced at his watch as we headed inside, some of us retrieving torches, some of us heading on.

I heard Faith whisper a, 'This is really creepy,' beneath her breath, and I squinted to try to see ahead. Luckily the journey to the room beneath us wasn't distracted by those things.

It was large. Lit. Fire torches in holders. Whoever lit them had done so and deserted the room.

Giles approached the tool and we all surrounded it also. It was huge. Like a large crystal embedded in the ground.

'Couldn't we just smash it?' I suggested, looking at my Watcher, and as he gave me an inquisitive look I nodded. No, then.

- - -

Giles rolled out a map on a large flat stone as we crowded around. He removed his glasses from his face and pointed to some points on the map.

'Right. Xander, Oz. I want the perimeters covered, south, and west. If trouble's ahead they're likely to appear from those entrances. Keep it sharp. Try not to be seen. You know what to do if you suspect trouble's ahead.' They both nodded and proceeded to loading up with weapons and various other things.

Giles rolled up the map and continued to talk to us. 'Right. If I've read this correctly, it shouldn't take longer than half an hour, depending on how long it takes to begin and collect the energy to be able to let the potion work. But judging on all of your performances the other night, it shouldn't be a problem. You're all well-rested.' He licked over his lips, looking at us, smiling slightly. 'We all know what we have to do. So let's do it.'

- - -

I couldn't stop focussing on my heart jamming into my chest. It was so loud I think everyone else could hear. Unless, if they all felt the same. Willow looked so focussed, and before we started, I gave her a hug.

My mind briefly flashed back to what I had told Faith, and what she had told me.

I squeezed her hand gently, letting her know I was nervous about this, but excited at the same time, now that the threat about having to fight seemed over.

She pulled me away from the others. And for a few moments I couldn't help but look at how beautifully her hair fit around her face, and how she wore clear lip gloss and blusher. She looked hot. Unfortunately the robe was unflattering, but we all knew we looked like goons. We didn't care. At first she just looked into my eyes. Then she took my hand, and then the other, and then hugged me. Tightly. Very tightly. "I can't breath" tightly. I heard a sob escape her beautiful lips and I rubbed a hand over her back. 'It's okay,' I tried to assure her, not even sure myself.

'Of course it is,' she began, sniffling a little, our embrace still intact. 'I have you.' She pulled away and offered a timid smile, and I could think only of the times when we hid everything from each other. That tough shell she held together so darned well. How a tear never threatened to tumble her cheeks. How her tough exterior posed every threat to the human race and yet she was still so beautiful. But now…she didn't try not to cry. She just did. I smiled back, nervousness being the most dominant feeling in my body.

And now, all we could do was focus. Focus and concentrate on the task at hand.

I stood at the point of Earth, at the north-point, next to Faith who stood at the east-point of Air, and Angel, who stood at the west-point of Water, and across, there was Willow, at the south-point, of Fire. Giles stood back, near to the door, holding weapons, holding a candle. Looking about as focussed as we all tried to be.

Then we began. She looked to the ceiling, beginning to chant the words we would soon begin to chant in unison, and as we began, the power began encircling us, as it had that night.

Willow began, holding a small purple bag towards the tool.

'By the powers of the Watchtowers of the north, of the east, of the south, of the west, I call upon thee, render our circle powerful. Dispel, tool of sanctimonious evil. Protect, tool of dedication to the good. Deities; sustain this transition. Witness this ritual; invoke these happenings. Forever shall these evil forces be dispelled into the worlds of beneath, of the Underworld; of Hell. Forever shall the Dedicated protect us.' She threw the potion upon the tool, and as it hit, the ground began to rumble, and before long, Oz came crashing through the door.

'Giles; we got incoming. And it's not good. They know we're here.' Giles grabbed the axe that had been sitting beside him and hurried out with Oz, but as the ground continued to shake and pieces of the Crypt began crumbling around us, we continued.

'Deities; sustain this transition!' Willow repeated, as we all grabbed hands and let the power filter through us and into the tool. 'Witness this ritual; invoke these happenings!' She tried to continue over the loud noise of the Crypt crumbling to pieces, but I was attacked by Erachnii from behind, and I broke the chain. I punched it and grabbed a weapon nearby, and as I outstretched, ready to fight it, I saw the masses of them that were headed in our direction.

'Buffy!' Willow shouted, her voice painfully scary, her eyes black. 'We have to finish! You can't leave the chain broken; forget them!'

I panted, out of breath a little, but hurried back and grabbed hands with Angel and Faith once again. Willow continued to chant.

'Dispel!!! Tool of sanctimonious evil. Protect, tool of dedication to the good!! Deities, sustain this transition! Witness this-' they came at us from various directions; entrances that none of us had been aware of, holes that had been created by the force of the ground shaking, causing the Crypt to fall apart.

'Shit!' Willow yelled and turned to the demons, holding a hand in front of her, and yelled, 'Get back!!!' A large circular power dispelled from her hand and pushed the demons back, the tiniest little bit.

I grabbed my weapon again and began fighting these things; the same as Faith, and Angel. There was no leaving them alone. They wouldn't let us finish this.

I half-capped one and watched it fall to the ground, only to be smacked in the face by one in another direction, that slammed me into the wall with an incredible amount of power.

I kicked it back, hoping to cap it off the same way I had the other, but it was too strong. Another headed in my direction and I ducked out of the way of a flying punch and swept my leg beneath them, sending them to the floor.

Across the Crypt, the tool was indeed disintegrating. We may not have finished the chant, but the spell and the potion was working. I lifted my leg to kick another demon, but my robe restricted me, and I ripped it from my body.

I couldn't see the others; we were so outnumbered that I think it was unlikely that we would make it through unscathed. And Faith was wrong about them not being a threat to us. For a moment I thought Angel was wrong about saying they were invincible, but then I realised the one I'd capped was growing another head and getting to it's feet. One managed to back me into a corner and grab me by the throat. They were so strong.

'Accept this as a sealing to the ritual performed here today! Be gone evil wanderers, disintegrate. Die!' Willow yelled, and as I looked over at her, I saw she had managed to gain some blood from somewhere, and she was letting it drip from the weapon that was dripping with it. At once a flash encircled the room and the next thing I remember was being surrounded by rubble, and columns, and weapons, and more rubble.

'Faith,' I mumbled as I tried to get up, but I realised the arm I was leaning against was broken as I tried to use it to get up. I shrieked, and fell to the ground. 'Damn it…'

I tried using my other arm to get me to my feet, and as I stood up, I listened. Silence. Nothing. Nothing at all. Then crumbling. Some rubble fell on my head. I frowned, troubled by the pieces of rock hurting my head. But as I looked up I realised this was worse than concussion. 'Shit,' I mumbled to myself, and began scrambling around for any goddamned fucking sign of anyone else. I didn't even notice tears were falling down my face as I pushed rubble back hoping to find someone beneath them, anyone.

'Faith! Will? Angel…someone…can anyone hear me? Where are you?' I yelled frantically, now aware that my voice was shaky and tears were flooding my cheeks. 'Anyone, c'mon!' I scrambled around the mess hoping to find someone.

Angel. Getting up across the room. I hurried to him and embraced him. 'Thank God.'

'Are the others okay?' he said, sounding a little whacked from his unconsciousness.

'I can't find them…I think this place is caving in. We have to get out.,' I said, my voice panicked.

He began searching through the rubble, the same as I had been doing. 'What happened?' he asked as he searched frantically.

'I have no clue. But we have to hurry.'

The ceiling crumbled a little and rubble fell from it, this time a larger chunk, possibly large enough to be called a hole.

'Oh my god,' I said all of a sudden, noticing the void.

'What?' he stopped, looking at me as a hand reached into rubble.

'I can't feel her…' I trailed off, trying not to think of why I couldn't feel her. But my mind forced me to believe that there was only one reason why there could be a void.

'We have to find them, Angel, now, damn it!!' I yelled, and resumed searching through the rubble. 'Faith! Will!' I called, hoping to god they would respond.

Angel searched, though as the ceiling continued to cave in bit by bit, he slowed. 'I don't think…' he chucked a chunk of rock aside. 'I don't think we're gonna find them, Buffy.'

'Shut up; you're wrong, they're here, they've gotta be, because we were with them!' I wouldn't let him let me give up. I wasn't leaving without either of them. But I didn't think I had to continue. I pulled some rubble across and saw a white robe beneath them, and soon came to realise it was Faith. I sighed out in a worried relief, and as Angel came to lift her up, I pushed some more rubble aside, and there was Willow. The ceiling continued to cave in and before I could lift Willow to caved upon us.


	22. Couldn't Drag Me Away

**Title: **Maybe, Just Maybe  
**Disclaimer: **Please don't sue. The characters I created are mine. So steal my idea, or 'borrow' without my permission, and I will be the one to sue. Other characters remain...not mine. Otherwise, all the characters remain Joss Whedon's and 20th Century Fox  
**Pairings:**Buffy/Faith  
**Feedback: **Please review )  
**Rating: **R

**Gemini: **Thanks, hun. Hope you're still enjoying it!

**Nikki: **Thank you sweetie. I'm glad you enjoy the fic, hope I haven't kept you waiting too long!

**Fai925: **Thank you, many mwahs! So you like the site, huh? I'm not really sure what to do next...(upload more things maybe). Thanks for having so much patience and not giving up on my story. Keep reviewing!

**Cho: **Aw hun! I'm a sucker for the sop, don't be worrying no DOUBT there will be special moments of sop, dedicated to you! Mwahs thanks for reading

**PhoenixJay: **Teehee. You make me chuckle ) Keep reading, and I promise not to have too many cliffhangers in future!

Thanks to everyone who's still reading my fic. I know this is taking forever to post up, but I've finished writing it, and now hopefully I can post the rest up pretty soon! Keep reading, please please please review I love to read all of the comments, even if it's just a couple of words, even if it's YOU SUCK! LOL. Tell me! I wanna know! Thank you, chicks for having faith in this story and following it from the beginning. I hope you stick with it til the end (which is nigh...) mwwwaaahs to all of you!

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Chapter 21

The sunlight beamed into the room, merciless upon the people of Sunnydale.

The door came to and in stepped a slender figure, fragile almost, but agile. The footsteps approached and eventually halted as they sat down upon the chair provided.

I sat across, watching, holding limp skin, touching, feeling, waiting. Patiently.

She pushed a delicate strand from her face and placed the flowers down on the side table. 'No change?' she whispered, her voice barely heard above all of the beeping of the monitors, the heart monitor a painful reminder of how much this was a victim before us, fighting for the value of her life.

I licked over my lips, watching the lifeless figure before me. Perhaps my painful reminder was a broken arm, but this victim before me was darned to fight for eternity.

'What are the doctor's saying today?'

I shook my head slowly, trying to hold back tears, and as I replaced the hand upon the bed, and headed out, I could feel her following me. I looked through the clear glass at her comatose form and frowned. 'They don't know if she'll wake up.'

I could feel a hand upon my arm. I frowned and looked down into the palm of my able hand. I pressed my lips together and looked up towards her. 'This isn't fair.'

I leaned into her, grateful that she was still here with me.

I began sobbing, the sorrow too overwhelming to be able to control. My sobs echoed through the ward, distressing to others, I'm sure. And as I sank to the floor, my form become uncontrollable, I was sure that line between sanity and insanity was threatening me.

- - -

I strolled away from the hospital, telling my mom I wanted to be alone for a while. She drove back to the house, told me to call her if I needed anything. I walked to the park, and saw. Everyone, enjoying the summer. The hot weather of mid-July.

- - -

She hadn't moved an inch since I'd left. But as I clicked the door shut behind me that all changed. She rolled over gently, looking to see who had entered. I offered a timid smile and headed towards the bed. 'Hey, you,' I started, my voice gentle as possible as I could be.

'How was she?' she croaked, her voice bed ridden…then again…it always had that raspy tone to it.

I perched upon the bed, taking her tired hand in mine. 'She was…alive.' My eyebrows furrowed deep in my forehead and I looked towards our hands. 'Just.'

She sat up and I immediately was alerted to the fact that she was moving so much.

'Maybe you should rest, I mean…'

She shook her head, although when thinking about it, her face scrunched and she laid back again. One side of my mouth tugged slightly and I reached out to her, to help her lay down okay.

'Did you sleep much?' I asked, aware that my tone was incredibly lifeless.

She shook her head. 'I just keep thinking about everything.'

'Will said it's best to try to charge. You never know what lies ahead.'

'I know…but thinking is good for that, right?' she asked, looking at my non-responsive face.

I rose from the bed and pulled my shoes from my feet before repositioning myself beside her. I lay beside her, and reached a hand to her face, my fingers somehow managing to gravitate to the recently indented wound upon her cheek. I ran my fingers along it gently, and as my eyes met hers, I felt her pain. Really.

'You really need to get your rest,' I told her, my voice seeming innocent, soft, un-intrusive. I tried not to hold her. As much as I wanted to, I knew I shouldn't.

Not today.

'I heal fast, B,' she told me, and I looked into her eyes, non-responsive a moment.

But as my facial features softened and I offered a timid smile, her eyes lit up. 'That's what I wanted to hear.'

'Well it's true,' she told me and I shook my head immediately.

'Not that.' I moved in close to her and planted a kiss upon her forehead, trying to be as gentle as I could. I got up, and headed for the door, not looking back once.

_My name. _And she knew it.

- - -

I strolled into the library, feeling so wasted that my legs felt as if they would give if I continued to use them one minute more. I was greeted with a solemn but gentle smile from Giles, about as bruised up and broken as the rest of us. He immediately saw the tiredness in my eyes and guided me to a chair. Upon the table sat the "Machmachra." I gave it a look, then reached for it. All the while I noticed Giles eyes burning into me. I think perhaps he was beating himself up for leaving it out.

'I'm sorry, I should've…' he began, but I cut him short.

'No…it's…it's okay…' I flipped the cover open, and looked at the first page, remembering the first time we'd read that. I didn't get much further in flipping the pages before the library door swung open. Both Giles and I looked towards the entrance, and I felt tears begin to well. Giles headed for the counter to deal with a group of people's books. I looked back down to the book, but looked back up a few seconds, later, realising there was an approaching figure. I looked towards it, and I smiled slightly, my eyes indeed burning still, tears filling to the brim, or so it felt.

I watched him, watched as he looked down at me, with a content smile upon his face, but also filled with some amount of consideration and sorrow. Painful experience.

As the people left the library, Giles headed back to us. 'Xander,' he said, alerting him to my Watcher. He looked over his shoulder, and outstretched a hand, shook it.

'Giles.' He stepped back, made his way around me and seated himself in a chair, noticing the book I had been looking at. I pushed it away a little and he reached a hand to my back, and rubbed it a little.

'It seems almost like an interval, doesn't it,' Giles said, sitting with us around the table.

I turned the page, and alas, that demon. We all sat, looking at it, each one of us holding an emotion too deep for the other to dissect.

- - -

I hated how my arm had healed in no time, yet everyone around me seemed to remain hurt, broken, un-healed.

Perhaps able to walk, able to breathe, eat and sleep. All of us but one. We all ached inside. For her.

Faith sat beside her bed, holding her hands, her own form as tired and lifeless as Willow's looked. 'I know you're in there, girlfriend. And…I know you won't give up. Because it's all about fighting, isn't it?' She wiped away a tear and reached for a card we'd all gotten her. It was huge, so she couldn't look at Will and read it at the same time. 'This message here is from Buffy.' She cleared her throat and began reading. '"Everyday I walk, everyday I breathe. Everyday I take a step and a step for me has been counted. Everyday I learn. Everyday my life continues. Everyday I am blessed. I'm blessed because of those around me. I may have been born with a gift, but aren't we all? My gift isn't my powers. It's my friends, and my family. You in particular have helped me through so much. Everything that we've been through and you still don't judge me. Living without you is like a breath I can't take. I need you to walk. I need you to breathe. I need you to take a step in the world…I need you to learn, and to continue. I love you Will. Please don't leave me."' She licked over her lips subconsciously, reading over the words again, unaware of the pair of eyes on her. She sniffled and continued. 'Er…I wrote this. I've never been…good at writing notes, but…' she shrugged and looked at the card. '"Roller coasters are our lives. A series of ups and downs that can make us laugh, cry, or sometimes both. We need certain people to get through life. And sometimes, those people need us back. I can't remember a time you didn't bless us all. We managed to be a screwed up bunch of people who do nothing but fight apocalypses and keep the world from ending, yet…when we feel we honestly can't do this, we have someone to help us, to assure us we can. You. We can always count on you to be there, to help us, to guide us through. We guide each other, but sometimes, we have to go to you because we know that you'll always guide us through to the end. I haven't known you long, but I've known you long enough to know that you are meant to live a long and healthy live. So don't do it…don't quit on us. Not just yet."' She folded up the card, sobbing gently. She raised a hand to her face, though when a hand touched hers, she gasped.

She looked up and couldn't believe what her eyes were telling her. 'I'm not going anywhere…not just yet,' she said with a little chuckle, her voice so beaten, croaky.

'Red?'

'Faith,' she said, so solemnly. 'I know you didn't write that all by yourself,' she told her, taking the card from her.

She smiled. 'I did actually.'

Willow looked into her brown eyes, and blinked indolently, her eyelids heavy from the intense comatose state, energy just about apparent in her veins. 'Okay,' she said gently. 'Did we do it?'

Faith nodded. 'We did it.'

Willow smiled a moment, though that faded when her eyes looked over the card. 'Did everyone make it?'

Silence. She looked into Faith's eyes once again, and when there was no reply, she raised a hand to her eyes, her face scrunching, tears threatening to drench her cheeks.

Faith immediately raised a hand to Willow's that grasped her face, and she shushed her. 'No, no, no…shh, Red, it's okay.'

'W-who didn't make it? Oh god…' she cried, her crying beginning to become hysterical.

'We did.'

She paused, taking in a breath and gazing into Faith's eyes with her own. 'Just us?'

Faith shook her head. 'If we lost you…' she shrugged. 'We're all fighters. There's no way they could destroy us, Red. You know that.' She seemed to make it sound so casual, when inside she was probably sighing a breath of relief.

Willow gasped. 'Oh, thank God.' She covered her mouth with her hand and Faith leaned in to hug her.

A nurse passed, though re-entered upon seeing that Willow was awake. 'Miss Rosenberg?'

Willow looked up at the nurse.


	23. I Wanna Know Who Loves Me

**Title: **Maybe, Just Maybe  
**Disclaimer: **Please don't sue. The characters I created are mine. So steal my idea, or 'borrow' without my permission, and I will be the one to sue. Other characters remain...not mine. Otherwise, all the characters remain Joss Whedon's and 20th Century Fox  
**Pairings:**Buffy/Faith  
**Feedback: **Please review )  
**Rating: **R

**Jenna: **Hey sweetie, in response to your review, it's not finished )

Thanks to everyone who reviewed, as usual thanks for reading, I hope you're still reading. Sorry I hadn't updated for a while, hope I can get back on track soon.

**Final Note: **To read the un-cut version of this chapter, contact me. Cut for obvious reasons (too explicit). It kinda ruins the end of the chapter, so if you are old enough to read and you want to, let me know and I'll send the full cut to you.

* * *

Chapter 22

I hoped I wasn't waking him. That whatever he was doing didn't end up with me disturbing him from it. But as I tread the concrete paving stones of the entrance I inwardly sucked at my emotions. Should I be doing this?

I inhaled slowly, hoping that nervousness wouldn't get the better of me. But as I tread the ground that led me further into this abode, my nervousness dissipated. I realised there was nothing to be nervous about.

He was sitting beside a fire. Something I'd never seen him do before. But he sat, watching. Perhaps thinking. I didn't know.

I don't know if he could hear me; my shoes failed to make a sound upon the ground.

'It seems the same, doesn't it?' he began, his voice slightly echoey throughout the place. I stopped in my tracks and tried to think of what to say.

Thank God my brain was still in order.

'Weirdly…it does.'

He glanced at me over his shoulder. 'You seem good.'

I continued to approach him and sat beside him on the concrete coffee table in front of the fire. I looked at him a while, as if examining his form. I wasn't just saying this, it was true. 'You look good.'

He nodded. 'That's what I'm saying. I'm alright. The world's…pretty much alright…Willow's fighting for her life and we're inwardly celebrating the success of destroying that tool. But…nothing's really changed.'

'We fought _hard_, Angel.' I placed a hand upon his upper arm, turning to face him a little.

'Life IS fighting. But it seems as if we're constantly having to fight for something that will always keep returning.'

'No matter what or who it is? No matter how strong, how powerful...it's our job, right?'

He took in a deep breath and stood and reached for the mantelpiece, where he began running his hand along the concrete. 'Yet no matter how beaten up we get, we persist.'

'Even if there is no incentive.'

He shook his head a little, his head dropped, before looking to me. 'I don't think that's true.'

'Oh no?'

'Well I had an incentive to get me through this.'

I smiled a little, wondering what it could be that would keep him in this reality at his own free will. 'Yeah? What's that?'

'You.' I hadn't realised how his eyes were searching mine up until then; that comment.

I raised my eyebrows a moment and looked down into the palms of my hands. He still had the ability to make me blush. I looked into his eyes and gave him a coy smile. 'Angel…'

'I know you're in love, and I'm not trying to…make you feel…' By this point I had risen from the table and wrapped my arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace. 'Buffy, I…'

'I will always love you, Angel. Even if it's not in that sense.' I moved away from him, aware of his hesitation to hold me. 'I thank the Powers That Be they let you get through this unscathed. I don't know what I'd do if you died…for the third time…'

He let out a chuckle and I watched as his head fell and his smile widened. He finally gazed back up into my eyes.

Look at this man. He'd been through so much, it made me wonder just how much was left for him to experience. He'd done just about everything.

'Thanks, Buffy.'

I gave him a smile and moved my fingers to his chin, just touching him a moment. 'What we had was good, wasn't it?' I noticed his unwavering smile and he nodded simply.

'The best thing that ever happened to me.' And I could see it in his eyes. What he meant. For the first time in my life I felt as if looking into his eyes I was safer than I had ever been when I was with him. This Adonis of a man. Perhaps half demon, but…also half human. Very, very human. Beautiful.

'You know that I wish I could return the compliment…' I began, but he had already known what I had planned to say and finished it off for me, taking one of my hands and entangling his fingers within mine as he spoke.

'…But you're so in love with your other half that it just wouldn't be true anymore.'

I smiled gently at him, contented that he understood the nature of my words, that they weren't directed as an insult, but that I'd found someone who I could finally be at peace with, that I knew was perfect for me. We had our differences, we had our similarities, but more than anything we had each other. And above all of the doubt and fear in our hearts, that one bit of knowledge overcame it all.

'You know how much you mean to me, Angel,' I told him, my expression as gentle as my face.

He nodded gently, and I reached in slowly to plant a kiss upon his head. Thank God he was alive.

'Do you think it will ever end?' I asked him, gazing up into his wonderful eyes.

He shook his head. 'As long as there is life, there is loss. There is war, and there is conflict. We'll fight for the rest of our lives.'

'For something unsolvable,' I continued.

'Absolutely.'

- - -

The day had been long, I'd tried not to spend it thinking about how our lives would be filled with times like these.

Faith had been resting and I told her I'd be back by sundown, that I was going to make sure Angel was okay.

For some reason I couldn't stop thinking of that night, when we had talked about who might be next, and if we were strong enough to make it through. I know we were the lucky ones. Others…not so fortunate. But Thank God there was no need to think about another Slayer. Not just yet.

I let out a sigh as I closed my bedroom door and pulled my jacket from my shoulders. The darkness meant I couldn't quite rightly see what was what in the room. I hadn't realised Faith was sitting on the bed…meditating. And it seemed she had been doing for quite some time.

I tried as quietly as I could to take off my shoes and join her on the bed, in front of her, in the same position, and when I placed my hands on her knees, to connect with her, I was thrown into what I assumed was her world…her mind. Her subconscious.

I don't know if I hit climax or if I was close to release or what…but it seemed what her idea of relaxing was actually quite the opposite. She and I. Against the bathroom wall, myself pinned between her and the wall, her fingers…my body…the hilt of me. I shrieked as I thought was my own climax hit me and I opened my eyes, finding my conscious self panting heavily, and Faith smiling, eyes open, watching me. She was imagining me. And her…in the shower.

'Oh my god, Faith…do you always meditate like that?' I asked, my breathing still shallow, gasps almost erotic. I collapsed onto the bed, letting my limbs go completely, the utter inebriation of that 'subconscious session' honestly too real for me. I was actually experiencing ecstasy at this point.

She chuckled a little and lay beside me, facing me. 'Mostly. Just when I need it and can't get it. It's a good way to, uh…'

I grinned, my centre slick, smooth, I could feel it all oozing…

'Look. Feel.' She took my hand and as I imagined, stretched the waistband of her joggers and panties and moved my hand down, to where I was supposed to feel.

'Faith…' I said, sounding surprised with her. I was. I never knew she could do that. She could just…

'Come with me,' she started, as she removed our hands and pulled me up and off the bed.

I raised my eyebrows and followed her, hand in hand. 'I thought I just had.'

She smirked and looked at me. 'Again.' She poked her tongue out at me and led me along the hall. 'This way.'

We ended up in the bathroom and she locked the door behind me. 'You do know my mum's literally in the next room?'

'So? We'll "whisper."' She said, pulling me towards the centre of the room.

I scoffed as she took me. 'Faith, you don't know the meaning of the word.'

'Yeah I do…I bet you I won't moan once.'

'And if you do I'll never have sex with you again.'

She scoffed. 'We'll see how long you hold out for.'

I chuckled and she looked down at me. I remember when I used to let my eyes scan over her body, when she wasn't looking. Before she knew. But then I'd inwardly curse at myself for letting myself think about her this way.

She moved in close to me, eyes now focussed on mine. 'You know, even if I'm making love to you in my mind, it's still not as good as the real thing.'

I opened my mouth to speak, and she moved a finger to it. 'Shh. Let's do the silent thing.' She moved her fingers away, and I looked into her eyes, seeing that all of the humour had gone. Now it was all serious.

She moved in to kiss me, and as she did, I felt my heart going. Fast. Really fast.

And as she removed every piece of clothing, neatly, tidily removed my shirt and placed it on a pile with the rest of my clothes, and as we both lifted her shirt above her head, and as she pulled my hair out of it's tie-back, and as I did the same, I waited. Waited for that moment we'd promised each other.

She ran the soap along every inch of my body, and cleansed me, gently…compassionately moved her hands over my arms, my stomach, my chest, my legs, my back.

I did the same, making sure my eyes experienced the same feeling. I watched as my hand traced the journey of her body with the soap, and how the shower would remove any trace of bubbles.


	24. The Way We Have It

**Title: **Maybe, Just Maybe  
**Disclaimer: **Please don't sue. The characters I created are mine. So steal my idea, or 'borrow' without my permission, and I will be the one to sue. Other characters remain...not mine. Otherwise, all the characters remain Joss Whedon's and 20th Century Fox  
**Pairings:**Buffy/Faith  
**Feedback: **Please review )  
**Rating: **R

**Final Note: **This is the FINAL CHAPTER! Yes; this is it, the end of this fic. Just wanna say a quick thanks to everyone eho read this! If you are reading this please just let me know, review, please, let me know what you think! Also, check out my other fics if you enjoyed this one! But also, just to get a final count, if you're reading, please please PLEASE review, just so I know who's reading and also WHAT YOU THINK! Hehe.

* * *

Chapter 23 

How can it feel, this road... **Portishead**

Every time I look into her eyes its as if she knows exactly what I'm feeling, thinking. This bad-ass chick. It's as if she can see right through me. And sometimes I believe that she can. There are worlds in all of our eyes that if only we take the time for, we can see.

And what a world I found in her. I couldn't imagine not being able to see it everyday, not being able to feel her presence, and know of her brilliance. Perhaps this was my gift of being a Slayer. Getting to live life everyday next to this beautiful double of mine. My 'other half.' Indeed she is.

I strolled out of the school entrance, headed for the grassy knoll a few yards in front of me, where the rest of the Scoobs were waiting.

It seems so strange to think that everyone made it. As great as it is that we did, I just never thought we'd all be back here.

As I approached them all, I caught sight of a flash, and then a few of them re-arranging for what looked like a group photo. 'Come on, you guys, get together,' Cordelia chimed, before clicking the button on the top of the camera.

Willow noticed me first and gave a wave, and I smiled at her, letting her know I'd seen her. 'Get in here!' I heard from behind a small black box. Cordelia and her camera.

I shook my head a little. 'I'm way-not photogenic. Got the whole strange face thing goin' on. Me and cameras are like a vampire and a stake.' Before I had time to let her at least agree with my comment, Faith had pulled me into the group.

She chuckled as I stumbled back, but before I had a chance to at least try to look pretty, there'd been a click.

I frowned, hating this whole photo fiasco. I felt her slip an arm around me and plant a kiss on my cheek as Cordelia snapped the camera again, and then I smiled and turned to face her, leaning my forehead against hers before the camera clicked again.

I looked out across the knoll and saw Giles strolling towards us. I waved and he lifted a hand back.

'So you guys went through, like a major battle-type apocalypsy thing?' Cordelia asked as we all sat round in the grass.

'Pretty much. Not as much blood and guts and gore as you might expect, though,' Xander said, playing with the hem of my shirt as he said.

'So you could've all died?' she asked.

Willow nodded.

'But we didn't,' Faith said, stressing her 't's' as she normally would. She smiled over at Will, who smiled lightly back at her.

'And there was like really scary-looking evils who could rip your guts out with their teeth?' Cordelia continued, mimicking the motions she guessed.

We all laughed a little and Willow answered for us. 'Absolutely. If you prefer to look at it that way.'

'I think the important thing is that we all made it through alive. You're all very brave,' Giles said, squinting slightly because of the sun.

There was silence among us as (I guess) we all contemplated his words. Brave. All of us. Of course.

'Yergh! Could you imagine? A monster opening it's mouth so wide, it could swallow you whole,' Cordelia chimed in again, her eyes looking like they would fall from her head, lest she close them a little.

We all chuckled and I nodded. 'Imagine.'

I could hear the faint sound of my heels clicking on the hall floor, as I walked past various people, going about their business. It was nearing summer vacation, and we were all planning a camping trip; the weather was perfect, always hot. It got me thinking about Christmas for some reason. How it was warm, but it was beautiful. It snowed on Christmas day. None of us thought that it would. Seasonal.

It was magical. The humidity of the hallway meant I could traipse them wearing a mini skirt and cami without feeling cold at all, and as I passed other moving bodies, it was clear they knew they could do the same.

It was so strange thinking that all of these things going on around me could so easily have been over, had we not succeeded in reversing that tool. And what would have happened next?

I found myself heading towards the library, lost in my own random thoughts, but as I pushed forth the swinging doors and listened to how they screeched when I pushed them, I felt that feeling of safety entering my body. How on earth I could feel safe right on top of the Hellmouth, I don't know.

Yeah, I do.

I saw Giles reading a book behind the counter, and sipping on some tea (at this time of year, I do not know; must be a British thing), and across the library I saw Willow talking to Oz, their hands entangled, and he reached in and planted a kiss on her cheek. I noticed Xander had taken to the craft of sparring; trying to swing a punch Faith's way but ultimately missing. I chuckled to myself as he fell to the floor, his balance obviously not in favour of him at all. Faith looked down at the defeated guy, and then up at me, and her smile softened.

Safety is in the arms of those you cherish. And I couldn't be in a safer place that's closer to my heart. Other than a chocolate factory, but…you get it.

I leant against the counter to see what Giles was doing, and he flashed me a little grin. 'So what are we researching today? Vampires with banjos? Monsters with tutus? What's the what on the evil walking around Sunnydale?'

Giles laughed a little and pulled his book off the counter, and headed for the table, where everybody else seemed to gravitate to.

'Actually, I'm glad you're all here now.' We gathered around the table, and as I folded my arms across my chest and got ready to listen to what work I'd have to do tonight, I noticed his slightly cheerful tone.

'What's the big bad?' Faith chimed in, and I glanced over at her.

Giles smiled a little and placed his book upon the table, closed it. _The day I close my book is the day we don't have to fight. So cherish it._

I squinted a little, thinking why he'd left us in silence. Then as I looked to him, slowly, realising, his face glowed with a grin. 'I just thought I should let you all know…' He took a deep breath and scratched his brow. 'They're fleeing Sunnydale. The tool apparently being one of the darkest and most powerful forms of protection for more than just the demons we fought. They're looking for the safest place…away from here.'

'So…that's it?' Willow asked, her voice gentle, a hint of scared apparent.

He nodded and immediately I could feel the smile stretching across my face. 'It's over…'

'It is?' Oz asked.

'Well, for now. At least. I called the Council and they say that it's caused an uprising surge of activity among the board. Satisfaction, for them, to the brim. Demons, vampires, monsters everywhere are running,' Giles told us, each of his words a deeper relief to us all.

I noticed Oz squeezing Will and I felt warm. Peace at last.

There was a comfortable silence as Xander sat in a chair and Faith approached me, wrapped her arms around me, and buried her chin in my neck.

'I don't understand. What are they running from?' Willow finally said.

'Good. You see that tool was the only assurance that the balance of power would favour evil, but now that the scales are tipping in our direction…'

'We've nought to fear but the overwhelming blanket of peace,' I finished for him, and he nodded contentedly, looking into my eyes.

There was more silence, as we all thought about this. Honest peace, and we didn't have to worry about evil.

'Wow…' Oz began. 'Imagine…' We all looked to him for a moment, then agreed.

Soon, Giles moved back from us and headed for his office. Xander moved over to where he was sparring, and began punching the air, as if fighting.

Oz leaned in and planted a kiss upon Will's forehead, and her eyes shut tightly, and I imagined her mind was finally at rest. I turned, and slipped my hand into Faith's, as we headed towards the library doors. She rubbed a hand gently over my back before linking hands with mine and we headed out.

I sighed a little, looking out ahead of me as we walked down the corridors towards the entrance. 'Faith,' I called, feeling I might need to swing her back into reality.

She hummed a little, looking my way a moment, to check if I was looking at her. She looked so contented, I almost inwardly kicked myself for disturbing her. She'll never stop being beautiful.

'Ever thought about who might be next?' I said, looking ahead of me still, but then briefly glancing her way, to see her thinking.

'Next after…?' she said, frowning a little, lost in where this might be going, I think.

'After you. The next Slayer.'

She looked over at me and I saw she was beginning to catch on.

'Well…' I peered into her dark brown eyes and smiled, knowing that she knew what I was getting at. She smiled warmly and spoke. 'I don't particularly like the thought that there needs to be another Slayer. I'm strong enough not to get dead, right?'

I nodded, gently, blinking indolently as I did. 'I like to think so, yeah.' I exhaled. 'Think I am?' I mused.

'What?'

'Strong?'

She smiled to herself, her eyes falling closed for a brief moment. 'I like to think so, yeah.'

We walked out of the main entrance doors, heading away from the school. 'Think they'll ever know?' I mused further, wondering inwardly if she'd still know what I was getting at.

She nodded gently, looking ahead, squinting gently because of the harsh sun. 'If they ever go through this…then perhaps. But they'll never _really _know.'

I smiled a little, feeling that now _I _was getting a little lost. 'Never really know what?'

She hesitated a moment, and released a breath slowly, before speaking. 'What it's like to be the Chosen Two.' I felt her squeeze my hand a little and then chuckle as she looked at me.

I looked at her, smiling also.

'I mean yeah, there'll be others…' she continued. 'But will they ever get it this way…I mean, the way we have it?'

'Together, you mean?'

'Yeah, I mean, we share a bond. So deep, who else could get it? Will there ever be another two Slayers that exist in the same reality together?'

'Well if you think about it, they're all out there…'

'But not the way we have it,' she reminded me quickly.

'So you're saying, they'll never get it?' I asked her.

She shrugged, and wrapped her arms around my waist as we continued to walk. 'Well…it _could _happen. But it'd have to be a real good one.' She smiled and laid her head upon my shoulders.

We walked for a bit. 'So…where did you put that box of chocolates?' She flashed a grin at me and I looked at her, knowing that only I could read her, through and through.

She was right. Would there be a possibility that another two Slayers could exist together?

And at the end of those days, would they ever find that same bond that I share with Faith? See everybody knows when it's perfect. But will they ever have it the way we do? Will they know what it's like?

Maybe.


End file.
